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THE APPALACHIAN

‘PERFECT FIT’ TheAppalachianOnline.com

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Vol. 87, No. 39

Appalachian State accepts invitation to join Sun Belt Conference

by ANDREW CLAUSEN

A

Sports Editor

fter months of rumors and this week’s reports, Appalachian State University is officially a member of the Sun Belt Conference and, subsequently, the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Chancellor Kenneth Peacock formally accepted the invitation Wednesday from Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson, who said the addition of App State was a “perfect fit.”

“The Sun Belt’s goal has been to build a conference that makes sense,” Benson said. “We are here today to tell you all that the Sun Belt conference got a whole lot better with the addition of Appalachian State.”

Peacock said it was a good

fit as well.

“We were looking for a good geographical fit,” Peacock said. “We looked, we thought, we hammered this, we discussed this. This was not something that was done overnight by any means.”

Athletic Director Charlie Cobb said the announcement was the “starting point,” and that the “heavy lifting” started Wednesday.

He also said that the decision to move conferences was bigger than the football program and bigger than the athletic department - it was a university decision.

“As an institution, Appalachian deserves to be considered one of the top-tiered universities in our system and in this region,” Cobb said.

The announcement also

brought with it the answers to many questions.

App State has to complete a two-year “reclassification process,” which includes raising the number of football scholarships from 63 to 85.

During the 2013-14 school year, App State football won’t be eligible to play in the FCS championship, and will not be able to officially win the Southern Conference title because they would have to forfeit their automatic berth to the postseason that SoCon champion would receive.

However, football is the only sport that is subject to ineligibility.

All other sports, field hockey notwithstanding, will be “eligible to win [SoCon] championships and earn automatic bids to

Joey Johnson | The Appalachian

NCAA Championships” in the 2013-14 seasons, according to a press release from the university athletics department.

The Sun Belt doesn’t offer field hockey, therefore it will remain in the NorPac Field Hockey Conference and is not affected by the move.

In 2014-15, all sports will be able to play on full Sun Belt schedules. Football is eligible to win the Sun Belt championship, but will not be able to play in postseason bowl games.

Men’s soccer and wrestling are also not offered in the Sun Belt and are expected to stay in the Southern Conference.

In 2015-16, all available

see FBS page 2

Assistant Athletic Director Mike Flynn (left) and Athletic Director Charlie Cobb (right) announce that Appalachian State accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

SGA works to bring safety app to Appalachian State students

by MICHELLE PIERCE Intern News Reporter

Newly-elected student body vice president and current SGA senator Michael Page is working to bring a cell phone application to students that could potentially keep their walk at night safe.

“My hope is to see the app implemented next spring before I leave,” Page said. “This is how I want to leave my legacy.”

The app is called LifeLine Response, also known

Justin Perry | The Appalachian

SGA vice presidential-elect Michael Page displays the Blue Light mobile phone app, which will allow users to connect with authorities in case of an emergency. The application is used at other universities. Russell/Page included the application in their campaign platform.

see App page 2

Russell,Page win SGA election

by JOSHUA FARMER News Editor

Dylan Russell and Michael Page were elected Tuesday as the next SGA president and vice president.

The two earned 1,578 votes, more than quadrupling the total of their opponents, Nathan Bailey and Nick Smith.

“It means a lot that people are willing to stand with you and believe in you and believe in what you stand for,” Russell said.

“It’s an empowering moment.”

Since then, the two have named Adam Ezell, the current director of governmental operations, as their chief of staff.

“Adam and I have grown really close to each other working through cabinet this year,” Russell said. “Adam was our campaign manager, and he was a rock for Michael and myself throughout the campaign process, keeping us calm, cool, collected.

We are extremely honored to have Adam as our chief of staff.”

Russell said the director of elections position, a new cabinet position required by the recent referendum, will be key in recruiting students to get involved with SGA. “We want all 93 senate seats filled by the next time we come in,” Russell said.

Russell said that Page and Ezell will help him put together the cabinet, and that they will take résumés in the SGA office until April 12.

Though Russell and Page were elected with 80 percent of the vote, the number who voted in the election represented just over 11 percent of the student population.

“We were a little disappointed by the numbers, but we weren’t disappointed by the support,” Russell said. “Next year we definitely plan to vamp up marketing. Next year there will be no reason that people don’t know about SGA elections.”

Peacock responds to Faculty Senate vote of ‘no confidence’

by STEPHANIE SANSOUCY

Senior News Reporter

Chancellor Kenneth Peacock sent an email to Appalachian State University faculty Wednesday commenting on the Faculty Senate’s vote of “no confidence” in the leadership of Provost Lori Gonzalez on Monday.

“I have listened and given serious and thoughtful consideration to your feed-

back, and I thank the Faculty Senate and the campus community for continuing to share their voices on important issues,” Peacock said in the letter.

Peacock went on to express his support for the provost.

“Since arriving on campus, Provost Gonzalez has tirelessly met challenges, many of which existed long before her

see Response page 2

Justin Perry | The Appalachian

Presidential elect Dylan Russell (left) and Michael Page (right), vice presidential running mate, celebrate while reading the official results of the SGA elections Tuesday.

ON THE WEB Follow our blogs at TheAppalachianOnline.com/blogs.

Study Abroad Follow three Appalachian students studying abroad as they document their experiences in Poland, Chile and Spain.

Photo Gallery Check out the appalachainonline. com for a gallery of Spirit Family Reunion’ show at Legends Tuesday night.

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CLASSIFIEDADS GET CA$H FOR YOUR CLOTHES AT ANNA BANANA’S! Call (828) 865-2000 for an appointment. Limit 20 of your best items. Must be name brand, in-season, in-style & in excellent condition. Accepting spring & summer items now!

App

Continued from page 1 as the Blue Light Safety app.

It is composed of two parts, a preset timer mode that will trigger the alarm and a monitoring mode that initiates a countdown the moment a person’s finger leaves the screen, according to the application’s website.

When crossing campus late at night, a student can turn on the application and put it on monitoring mode by holding their finger on the screen for the duration of their walk.

Once released, the countdown begins and at eight seconds, the dis-

Response

Continued from page 1

Positions are available for the 2013-14 Editorial Board of The Appalachian.

The Appalachian

arrival, with great professionalism and dedication,” he said in the letter.

Peacock said that he and the provost remain committed to working on the areas of concern that faculty has identified and that there is always room for improvement.

“All of us in higher education are facing many challenges, with more likely in the days to come. The Provost and I are ready and willing to dig deep into the issues and engage in meaningful dialogue with our faculty about how we address them and move forward,” Peacock said.

Government and justice studies professor Matthew Robinson responded to the letter sent out by Peacock.

“The message to me is that for faculty, our voices really don’t matter, our signatures don’t matter and our votes don’t matter,” Robinson said.

“It appears that faculty

tress alert is set off in order to scare away a potential attacker.

When the timer reaches 20 seconds, LifeLine’s 24/7 Response verification team will call the phone and, if necessary, contact the nearest 911 center with the person’s information and GPS coordinates.

If Appalachian were to incorporate this application into the school’s systems, university police would also receive the phone’s GPS coordinates.

Detoria Rolle, the director of student affairs, said that Chancellor Kenneth Peacock wants to make this application happen on campus.

Jake Cox, the current SGA president, assigned Page with the job of

are expected to just forget their legitimate complaints and serious concerns with no resolution to them and simultaneously ‘unite and focus on our mission—to teach, research and serve’ in spite of the fact that we never actually stopped engaging in teaching, research and service all along.”

Provost Lori Gonzalez commented on the vote of no confidence that happened Monday.

“Over the course of my career, I have been required to make hard decisions and deal with difficult circumstances,” Gonzalez said. “In the days ahead, issues remain that we need to address together with trust and collegiality.”

Gonzalez said that she looks forward to a discussion with Faculty Senate about their concerns.

“I have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support from faculty and staff across the campus over the past weeks,” Gonzalez said.

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

demoing the application and working with the sales representative of LifeLine.

“The app demo has been working phenomenally,” Page said. “The sales rep has been extremely helpful.

Our next step is to have him explain to me the process that other universities and student governments are doing to bring the app to their school.”

The LifeLine application is already in use at Angelo State University in Texas and receiving positive responses, according to the university’s police website.

Page plans to get Appalachian to implement the application in their systems.

FBS

Continued from page 1 sports will become completely eligible for all Sun Belt events.

Men’s basketball head coach Jason Capel said the thing that jumped off the page for him was that there were two Sun Belt teams in the NCAA tournament, but did not know how much of a difference the talent level was.

“I think we’re going to be able to compete in that level, in that league,” Capel said. “First and foremost, we want to compete and win next year in the Southern Conference, and then have a smooth transition into the Sun Belt.”

On if the players are ready for the move, Capel said the biggest thing was their “maturation.”

“Kids have to grow up,” said Capel. “They have to understand the importance of hard work and the process it takes to ultimately be a champion. I think we all saw that throughout last season, especially toward the end of the season.

I think we put everyone on notice [with the Davidson game] with what we’re ca-

pable of.”

In March 2015, the Sun Belt’s basketball tournament will be held in New Orleans.

Women’s basketball head coach Darcie Vincent said she will miss playing the SoCon tournament in Asheville, but the new arenas they will play in will be “so cool” and the competition will be exciting.

“We have to double up our hard work and double up our effort,” Vincent said. “It’s a different type of animal, a different type of conference, but I get excited about challenge and change.”

SGA President and Board of Trustees member Jake Cox said he thought this was a “phenomenal move.”

“This is absolutely a historical day for Appalachian State University,” Cox said.

“Together, along with all the evidence on why we’re moving up, on why it’s such a great decision, just goes to show the kind of leadership we have at the university and why they are making such poignant moves putting us toward a direction of ensuring that our success continues, not only on one level, but on a higher level as well.”

Renting now for Spring/Fall 2013 Efficiencies, One, Two, and Three Bedroom Apartments, Houses, and Duplexes

A&E

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

Musicians and craftsmen of the high country tell stories, share music at banjo event

by EMMA SPECKMAN A&E Reporter

A

group of Appalachian musicians played instruments and told stories about their lives and crafts at the annual Cece Conway’s Black Banjo Roots Concert held Tuesday in the Great Hall of the Living Learning Center.

A professor of Appalachian literature in the English department, Conway’s primary goal was to educate those who don’t know much about Appalachian music history in a fun and entertaining way.

“Most people are unaware that the banjo originally came to this country from Africa,” Conway said.

Conway was able to hold the event through a two-year grant she received from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Rick Ward, Herb Key, Wayne Henderson - with his daughter Jane - and

Hubby Jenkins of the Grammy award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops performed at the event.

Ward began the panel by talking about his family and playing a few songs on his banjo.

“My father and grandfather made banjos, dulcimers and guitars,” Rick Ward said. “They taught me the art.”

Rick Ward’s grandfather was Tab Ward, a semi-famous bluegrass musician, whose collections are currently housed in the Appalachian State and East Tennessee University libraries, as well as the Smithsonian. On his mother’s side, Rick Ward is related to the legendary ballad singer and jack-tale storyteller Lee Monroe Presnell.

Wayne Henderson also grew up around instrument makers. Since he began more than 30 years ago, Wayne Henderson has made more than 580 guitars, nearly 200 mando-

lins, several dulcimers and four fiddles.

“You get that good wood and that whittler’s knife, and you cut out everything that don’t look like a guitar,” Henderson told the audience.

Wayne Henderson taught his daughter Jane Henderson, a former law student, how to make guitars, which she now does full time. To combine her passion for woodworking with her love of the environment, Jane Henderson has turned her focus to making instruments out of locally procured woods.

Most recently, she made a ukulele for a friend out of sassafras.

Nicole Debartolo | The Appalachian

Intern A&E Reporter

Amy Mesher | Courtesy Photo

Boone area band Raimee will release their first album this spring.

a senior studying recording and engineering in the music industry studies program, and aspires to be a music producer.

“We’re always really busy,” Mullin said. “Rei’s got a full-time job in addition to being a full-time

graduate student. My classes take up a lot of my time. Bennie [Michael] has a full-time job and usually works nights. It can be really difficult at times to balance such an active band with work and being full-time students, but it’s completely worth it.”

Bassist Daniel Baldwin began his music career two years ago when he purchased his first guitar.

Since then, he has been playing constantly.

“Outside of music, I don’t know what I would want to do,” Baldwin said. “Music is my life, and it brings me so much passion and joy that I don’t know what else I could ever do that would make me feel this way.”

Drummer Bennie Michael is an N.C. State graduate with a degree in science. He has been playing music his entire life, is completely self-taught and has been drumming since he was in high school.

The band has no immediate plans after all of its members complete school and will continue writing, recording and performing new material.

Raimee’s next Boone performance is April 26 at Doughton Pit.

Visiting artist uses the human condition for inspiration VE: “My process often starts with a pen or pencil in hand, and if an idea occurs to me, I may unconsciously draw on the nearest surface. These days, the drawing apps in my iPhone or iPad have become added tools for beginning the process for documenting the myriad form floating around in my head. Many things can trigger my inspiration, the human condition, forms in nature, a song, a poem and so on.”

Victor Ehikhamenor | Courtesy Photo

by LOVEY COOPER Senior A&E Reporter

Visiting artist Victor Ekpuk will work in the Mayer Gallery of the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts during public hours April 3-4 as a performance piece that goes through the artistic process of what he calls “Drawing Memory.”

The performance is both a promotion of and creation for his upcoming exhibition of the same name that opens April 5.

Ekpuk, an established

Nigerian artist currently working out of Washington, D.C., will also present “African Art Symposium: Symbol and Space” April 6 in the Turchin lecture hall, room 1102.

The Appalachian spoke with Ekpuk about his art, his personal history, and his upcoming exhibition.

The Appalachian: How would you describe your work?

Victor Ekpuk: “In a general sense, I would describe my work as abstraction.

Part of my visual vocab-

ulary is consciously or unconsciously derived from traditions of ideographic writing systems in Africa, where ideas and forms are reduced to their essence through graphic symbols.

In my compositions, the use of these arcane signs and my invented ‘pseudowritings’ often evoke an interplay of art and writing, where legibility and illegibility are metaphors for contemporary expressions.”

TA: What is your artistic process like? What inspires you?

‘The 20/20 Experience’ deserves a 20/20

Editor’s Note: The following reflects the opinions of the author.

by CHELLA MCLELLAND

Visiting artist Victor Ekpuk works through the artistic process he calls ‘Drawing Memory.’ Ekpuk will be working in the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Mayer Gallery April 3-4 promoting his gallery opening April 5.

Review:

A&E Reporter

Hubby Jenkins of the Carolina Chocolate Drops performed Tuesday night at the Living Learning Center Great Hall. Jenkins played the banjo, guitar, sang and told stories about the music that inspired him to start playing.

met the most amazing people and have had the most wonderful experiences. It’s challenging, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Guitarist Brandon Mullin has been playing and writing music for about eight years. He is now

3

by EMMA SPECKMAN

Appalachian State students form hard-rock band Raimee The Boone area metal and hard rock band Raimee is not only composed primarily of Appalachian State University students, but is also fronted by an Appalachian residence director.

The band, which signed with Crushing Skulls Records earlier this year, is currently in the process of recording an original album that will release later this spring.

Vocalist and primary songwriter Rei Haycraft earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and media production and is now working on her master’s in educational media production.

She is employed as an RD with the university and spends most her time writing songs and creating art. She is also working on a graphic novel project called “Revenant Aidenn,” which is the inspiration for many of the band’s songs.

Haycraft said it can be difficult to balance school with the busy life of being in a band. “[We’re] constantly recording, practicing and traveling to shows,” Haycraft said, “We have

March 28, 2013 |

TA: How did you get started as an artist?

VE: “My recollection of my artistic talents was from very early in my childhood when I could draw realistic representations of people and objects before I learned to write the alphabet in elementary school. Encouraged by my mother, at age of 8, I won first prize in a statewide art competition.

All through high school, art was the one subject I was most interested in. My love for drawing was such that every school notebook and textbook became a sketchbook. Studying art in the university and opting to become a professional artist was an obvious choice.”

TA: What of your work is represented in “Drawing Memories”? Is there a common theme in this collection?

VE: “The drawing performance piece that will be executed from April 3-4 best represents ‘Drawing Memory.’ This piece is an example of work where the human condition is the main inspiration. Memory to me is a metaphysical space where our sense of self resides. My observation is that this sense of self is acquired through family, ethnic, racial relationships.

Life circumstances can cause memories to change, shift, evolve or even transform. The act of ‘Drawing Memory,’ which will eventually be wiped off to make room for another experience, is perhaps pondering the notion of memory, the experiences that give us our sense of self or identity, as ephemeral conditions.”

TA: How is this similar or different to your work overall?

VE: “This piece continues the idea in other works where I ponder the human condition. The difference here is in its ephemerality.”

TA: Do you have any expectations about the opening or your time here in Boone?

VE: “I have never been to the Appalachian Mountains or North Carolina, I hope to have fun and good conversations with the people of Boone.”

Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience” is a nearly flawless album, from the first bars of “Pusher Lover Girl” to the end of the uncharacteristically melancholy, but still wonderful, “Blue Ocean Floor.”

It is clear that Timberlake and his team took great care with each song on “20/20” – the shortest piece on the album lasts just under five minutes, and the longest is more than eight minutes.

Standouts on the album include dance hit “Suit and Tie,” which features Jay-Z, and the eight-minute-long pop/ballad/R&B/perfection song “Mirrors,” which will probably become this summer’s can’t-get-it-out-ofmy-head rekindling of the hit “Sexy Back.”

But it feels like many of the songs on the album run unnecessarily long.

“Pusher Lover Girl” has the making of a great threeminute pop hit, but it clocks in at around eight minutes, which seems excessive.

Though it’s a fun song, the magic was lost around minute four.

The same thing happens with “Spaceship Couple” and “Don’t Hold the Wall,” though the latter still has staying power as a hit song.

The two songs on “20/20” that will definitely prove they have staying power are “Suit and Tie” and “Mirrors,” the golden song of “20/20.”

“Mirrors” is kind of a ballad, if ballads can be highly synthesized and make you want to dance.

“Blue Ocean Floor” is the most interesting song on the album. Whether or not it is the best one depends on your taste, but it certainly takes a different turn for the pop singer and shows real vocal talent.

Smooth R&B beats and crooning vocals show Timberlake’s audience a side of the pop idol they’ve never seen before – a side that maybe shouldn’t have taken the entire album to get to.

But hey, it was still a great dance album to listen to while we waited.

As the Renaissance Man of 21st century pop music, Timberlake has done what very few former boy-banders have managed to do: evolve into an artist that isn’t embarrassing to admit you like.

Yes, his music is silly and shallow, and lyrics like “Baby please don’t change nothing/ because your flavor’s so original” from the song “Strawberry Bubblegum” kind of venture a little too far into the Ke$ha and Britney Spears realm of terrible grammar and candy love metaphors. But pop in “The 20/20 Experience,” and you’re guaranteed to get your groove on.

Rating:

4 out of 4 stars

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| March 28, 2013

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OPINION

The Appalachian

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com March 28, 2013 | 5

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

THE APPALACHIAN Your student newspaper since 1934 MICHAEL BRAGG Editor-in-Chief

CHELSEY FISHER Managing Editor

ABBI PITTMAN

POINT COUNTER-POINT

Tipping the scale: Should the US balance the budget?

Balanced budget is needed to put U.S. economy on right track

Copy Editor

JOSHUA FARMER News Editor

R. SCOTT MORRIS A&E Editor

KEVIN GRIFFIN Opinion Editor

ANDREW CLAUSEN Sports Editor

PAUL HECKERT Photo Editor

MALIK RAHILI Graphics Editor

LIBBY DALLIS Video Editor

Contact Information EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (828) 262-6149 BUSINESS OFFICE (828) 262-2157 FAX LINE (828) 262-6256 Associated Collegiate Press

Our Mission The Appalachian, a student-run publication at Appalachian State University, strives to provide fair and accurate news for the campus community; to inform, entertain and create a forum for ideas; to provide an outlet for reader's opinions; to be a champion for student, faculty, staff, and community interests; and to remain independent, exercise and insure its First Amendment rights.

Letters to the Editor The Appalachian welcomes Letters to the Editor. Letters should be 250 words or less and include the author’s name, ASU Box, phone number, classification and campus affiliation, if any. The Appalachian reserves the right to decline publication of any letter and to edit letters for the purpose of clarity and space. Although we are unable to acknowledge those letters we cannot publish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to send us their comments.

Letters should be submitted electronically via our Web site or e-mail. Letters may also be mailed to “Letter to the Editor,” The Appalachian, ASU Box 9025, Boone, N.C. 28608. Letters may also be brought to the newsroom, located on the second floor of Plemmons Student Union.

TYLER SPAUGH I’ve never taken out a loan in my life, but I’m already in $53,000 of debt.

Thanks to excess government spending, every man, woman and child in the United States currently has a share of $53,000 of our $16 trillion national debt, according to the U.S. Treasury.

If we wanted to pay off our national debt today, then you, me and every other legal citizen in this country would have to pay the government $53,000.

But by tomorrow, our government would already have a new national debt of almost $3 billion.

The United States has the world’s largest economy, larger than the second, China, and third, Japan, largest economies combined. Yet we spend $1 trillion more than we take in in tax revenue.

Our government had annual tax revenue of $2.5 trillion last year. That’s greater than or equal to the Gross Domestic Product of every other single nation in the world except China, Japan, Germany and France.

The reason that the U.S. can rack up so much debt is because the U.S. dollar is the reserve currency of the world, basically the

world’s most desirable currency.

As long as we issue debt in dollars, everything will be fine, because we’re the ones who print the dollars. This means that we always have the ability to pay off our debts, theoretically.

The problem is that the dollar is very close to losing its status as the world’s reserve currency, mainly because of our debt.

If this happens, nations won’t want their debts to be paid in U.S. dollars and we’ll lose the theoretical ability to pay off our debts.

This will cause a flood of dollars held by foreign countries to pour back into the U.S., as these nations demand their debts to be paid in the world’s new reserve currency.

The flow of so many dollars into the U.S. system will cause the value of one dollar to plummet.

There is a way to remedy this problem, and it starts with balancing the budget. Before we can begin to pay off our debts, we need to stop the flood of new debt coming in at about $1 trillion a year.

Balancing the budget within the next 10 years is a good place to start. This will require a combination of slashing foreign aid and pork barrel spending, reforming Medicaid and Social Security, making small defense cuts and growing the economy through tax cuts.

Spaugh, a freshman accounting major from Winston-Salem, is an opinion writer.

Not what our nation needs right now

KENT VASHAW The United States has a lot of debt – this is indisputable.

But, the apocalyptic tenor of the conversation regarding debt is unwarranted fear mongering which could only have disastrous consequences if acted upon.

Our debt, at its current level, is sustainable for the near future.

Alan Blinder, a professor of economics at Princeton University, said that despite our large debt, the U.S. has had absolutely no problems borrowing money in the short-term, and nations are actually willing to let the United States borrow money at “negative real interest rates” – basically paying us to borrow money from them, according to an article in the Atlantic.

There is no evidence that investors will cease lending us money.

Because of our solid history of making debt payments, most countries aren’t too worried about debts, which are put in terms of dollars, losing value.

Given that trust in the dollar, it is unlikely that the U.S. will lose its status as the world’s reserve currency.

But, even if we did, it wouldn’t be doomsday.

Plenty of countries whose currencies are not the reserve issue debt in their own euros, yuans, pesos and pounds. Furthermore, losing reserve status would not affect getting our debts paid

back in dollars, said economist Brad DeLong in his blog.

While it is helpful that the dollar is the world’s reserve currency, losing that wouldn’t mean that other nations would suddenly cease to find any confidence or value in the dollar, or that we wouldn’t be able to pay off current debts in dollars.

Right now, having a large debt is necessary for our nation. Because we are still barely recovering from a recession, our nation cannot afford the economic penalty that comes with cutting the deficit. Government spending in the form of public-sector jobs stimulates the economy, and cutting it will only make a recession worse.

The business-news publisher Kiplinger reports that the only way to balance the budget completely is with extreme cuts to defense spending, entitlements, jobless benefits and really everything the federal government spends money on. The deficit cannot be cut without pain.

There is plenty of evidence that a balanced budget amendment would have negative effects on the economy by eliminating needed stimulus. A study conducted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that it would cause the economy to shrink by about 17 percent and double unemployment.

Attempting to cut the deficit down to nothing is misguided and dangerous. Since the debt poses no current problem, there is no reason for immediate austerity measures that would hurt both the economy and individuals.

Vashaw, a sophomore mathematics and creative writing major from Apex, is an opinion writer.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

STAFF LIST Senior Reporters Stephanie Sansoucy Lovey Cooper Kaitlyn Thruston

Senior Photographers Olivia Wilkes Courtney Roskos

A&E Reporters Colin Moore Emma Speckman

Sports Reporters Jesse Ware Jordan Davis James Ashley Matt Smith

Opinion Writers Austin Mann Kent Vashaw Tyler Spaugh

Editorial Cartoonist Andrew Cox

Photographers Joey Johnson Aneisy Cardo Justin Perry Amy Kwiatkowski

Videographer Jackson Helms

Graphic Designers Ashley Spencer Erin Gallahorn

Andrew Cox | The Appalachian

STAFF OPINION

Board of Governors must work with education, not against

Intern Reporters Nina Mastandrea Nolen Nychay Chella McLelland Krista Loomer Jessica Lyons Hannah Magill Jordan Miller Michelle Pierce Jess Lyons Natasha Bostok

Multimedia Interns Matt Abele Allison Clark Bowen Jones Mark Kenna Nicole Debartolo Maggy Boutwell Andre Trowell

AUSTIN MANN Last week, the N.C. Senate elected eight new members to the Board of Governors.

The board is in charge of “the general determination, control, supervision, management and governance of all affairs of the

constituent institutions,” according to the UNC website. It controls college campuses across the state, including our own.

The Board of Governors is responsible for appointing members to Appalachian State’s Board of Trustees, defining its powers and duties, appointing and compensating our chancellor, vice chancellors, administrative officers and more.

The Board of Governors is a very powerful force because it has a large degree of control over not only Appalachian, but other

college campuses, too. It is very important who is on the board, and for the majority of its history both parties have had a say.

But with the recent election, the Republicans now have a majority on the board.

It bothers me that people in the state government who would rather privatize education than make it free. They would rather accept $135 million budget cuts than fight back.

Democrats would probably endorse cuts as well, although perhaps not as big. Does it matter that

we have Democrats on the board? Also, the Board of Governors has no real power to object to budget cuts. The problem with the Board of Governors is that it is not responsible to a constituency, but to the state administration.

“The Republicans won the election,” Rep. Edgar Starnes, a Hickory Republican, said in the News & Observer. “We are in control. We intend to elect Republicans and appoint Republicans, and we make no apology for it.”

Communities are subject to the whims of poli-

ticians like Starnes whose only interest is in spreading a pro-market agenda.

The Board of Governors is a tool of the state administration, not the people.

But I see a bright future ahead. Students across North Carolina are aware of the things that affect them, and tomorrow I hope to see communities running their own education systems.

Mann, a freshman computer science major from Raleigh, is an opinion writer.

SPORTS

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

March 28, 2013 |

Upcoming Games

App State softball improves to 12-11 overall, looks to continue this weekend

App State Athletics | Courtesy Photo

Senior outfielder Allie Cashion stands ready to bat in a game against Samford earlier this season. The team’s next home game is Friday at 4 p.m. against College of Charleston.

by JESS LYONS

Intern Sports Reporter

With the Southern Conference heating up, Appalachian State’s softball team is ready to step up to the plate.

The team’s Southern Conference record is 6-3 while

their overall record is currently 12-11.

After winning at Chattanooga this past weekend, the team is ready to face off against the College of Charleston Friday and Saturday.

App State is showing a

formidable conference record so far for in the current season with a young roster.

“I don’t think having a young team hinders us at all,” said Meghan Smith, one of the team captains and second basemen. “Our pitchers are young, but they’re talented.”

Having that talent has benefited them on the field, but it also has helped them off the field. Their motivation is clear.

“We don’t pay attention to the team name on the front of the jersey,” said assistant coach Roman Foore. “We play the team at hand.”

Senior Allie Cashion, another captain of the team, expressed confidence in her team’s newcomers for this season as well as seasons to come.

“The girls on our team play hard no matter how long they’ve been here, so I don’t think it hinders us,” Cashion said. “We’re batting better, pitching faster and working well as a team.”

The team may be inconsistent at times during the season, ranging all the way from a five-game winning streak to a four-game losing streak.

But Foore expressed his belief that as the team chemistry grows, they will become more consistent.

“During the season the girls have really meshed together well as a team,” Foore said. “I’m really proud to be coaching them.”

Live closer. Sleep Longer.

6

Thursday

March 28

Men’s and Women’s Golf University Cup at Morganton, N.C. Time: All Day

Friday

March 29

Men’s Tennis (H) Opponent: UNCG Time: 2 p.m.

Softball (H)

Opponent: College of Charleston Time: 4 p.m.

Saturday

March 30

Women’s and Men’s Track & Field (H) Beaches v. Mountains Time: All Day

Baseball (H)

Opponent: Wofford Time: 3 p.m.

Find us on

Sunday

March 31

Baseball (H)

go to asurentals.com or call 828.262.1571

Opponent: Wofford Time: 1 p.m.

Information compiled from goasu.com

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