Thursday, January 24

Your student newspaper

THE APPALACHIAN TheAppalachianOnline.com

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Vol. 87, No. 25

Maya Angelou spends an evening with App State “The truth is you’re the best we have. We have nobody better than you. We need you desperately.”

- Maya Angelou

by EMMA SPECKMAN Senior A&E Reporter

H

Paul Heckert | The Appalachian

Maya Angelou speaks to a packed Holmes Convocation Center as part of the 29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration held Tuesday evening. Angelou is hailed as one of the greatest voices in contemporary literature authoring 11 best-selling books including “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and her current best seller, “Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now.”

istorian, poet, author and civil rights activist Maya Angelou spoke at a packed Holmes Convocation Center on Tuesday as part of the 29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration.

Students, faculty, staff and visitors started filling the center at 6 p.m. to “An Evening with Maya Angelou.”

Angelou took the stage dressed in a red velvet dress, flower necklace and rose-colored glasses, guided in her wheelchair by a family member.

She began her keynote speech with a metaphor about hope, and maintained a balance of anecdotal humor and serious dialogue throughout her discussion of race and women’s rights.

Vice Chancellor of Student Development Cindy Wallace began the event around 7:15 p.m. with a short dissertation on the value of celebrating the legacy of Dr. King.

“He has become the pillar of our absolute moral

consciousness in this country,” Wallace said. “And she [Angelou] is our touch to that through-line.”

The Rev. Reggie Hunt of Cornerstone Summit Church spoke and led the audience in prayer, followed by the ASU Gospel Choir’s performance of famous songs, such as “Lift Every Voice” and “Wade In The Water,” while a collective of musicians played and the ASU Dance Ensemble performed an interpretive dance.

To introduce Angelou, the sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority each read a stanza of Angelou’s poem “Phenomenal Woman.”

The power and responsibility of the youth was a running theme throughout Angelou’s speech.

When you have children of our own, she said, it is your duty to “help to liberate them from the binds and bonds and chains of ignorance.”

Throughout her speech, Angelou offered the audience snippets of advice,

see Maya, pg 5

Chancellor Peacock urges students to ‘be safe this semester’

by STEPHANIE SANSOUCY Senior News Reporter

Chancellor Kenneth Peacock sent out a video message Friday urging students to “be safe this semester.”

Peacock said he made the video because he wants students to know how the Appalachian State University community cares about their safety.

“With other events that have happened throughout our nation,

we get very concerned,” Peacock said. “A campus is an open environment it’s an inclusive environment... [A]s we have seen in our nation recently, particularly with Newtown, Conn., individuals have problems – they have issues – and what we want to do is help those individuals, not hurt them.”

Peacock said that thanks to the suggestions of students, the university has added several blue lights and phones on campus, as well as several security cameras

where students advised they be put.

“We have listened to the voices of our students and we are trying to do what they want us to do,” he said.

In the video, Peacock said he wanted to tell students to “keep it up” and help the people who need it.

The video message also directs students to appcares.appstate. edu as a safety resource.

“If you go to the AppCares

Former ASU player goes to the Super Bowl Most noted for his fumble-recovery touchdown against Delawere in the 2007 NCAA National Championship game, former linemen for Appalachian State University Daniel Kilgore is now playing in Super Bowl XLVII. Drafted in 2011 by the San Francisco 49ers, he is now a top reserve offensive guard and will face veteran linebacker Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens for the championship game.

website, you see a number of different emergency phone numbers listed,” said Dean of Students J. J. Brown, who is listed as a resource on the website.

“We want to put numbers in your hands,” Brown said.

There is even an AppCares mobile phone application that can “tie into the campus police number.”

Brown said that hopefully the application helps students have access to safety information at

either 2 p.m. or 2 a.m.

ASU Police Chief Gunther Doerr said the police department, which is also listed as a resource on appcares.appstate. edu, wants to look at “prevention methods” this semester.

Students have 24/7 reporting, Doerr said.

“I do hope it is an outstanding, enjoyable and academically challenging year, but I want it to be a safe year,” Peacock said. “Above all, it’s got to be safe.”

Student Programs holds grand opening for new Plemmons Student Union wing

The Appalachian: Why did you choose Appalachian State coming from Tennessee?

Daniel Kilgore: “They had just won their first championship and it wasn’t too far away. I got up there and hung around some of the guys and it just felt like a place where I needed to be. When you go there, you’re a part of the Appalachian family.

They keep it in-house, the coaches and everything. It’s always awesome to keep everything close-knit and that’s what drew me to it. It’s a special place. People always say ‘If you ever leave Boone, you always want to come back,’ and it’s home. That’s what drew me to going to school there, just File Photo | The Appalachian that home feeling.”

Former Mountaineer offensive lineman

see Kilgore, pg 7

Daniel Kilgore, far right (63), will make an appearance for the San Francisco 49ers in this year’s Super Bowl against the Baltimore Ravens.

Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian

Event Staff Manager Cassie MacLeod (right) listens to Chancellor Kenneth Peacock speak during the Plemmons Student Union Grand Opening Tuesday afternoon. The event included open houses, tours, speeches and entertainment. To view the full gallery, go to theappalachianonline.com.

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

Health & Nutrition Find out how you can live a better, healthier lifestyle with The Appalachian’s latest blog.

Photo Gallery View photo coverage of the men and women’s basketball games this past week at TheAppalachianOnline.com/photos.

Follow us on our social media accounts @theappalachian www.facebook.com/theappalachian

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2

| January 24, 2013

CRIMELOG

News

Police reports from Appalachian State University’s campus

Jan. 17 7:18 p.m. | Possession with intent to sell and deliver Rivers Street

A person was arrested for possession of hashish and marijuana.

Jan. 18 8:09 p.m. | Weapon on campus East Residence Hall A person was arrested for possessing a weapon on campus.

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

Former Appalachian student interns at the White House

by JOSHUA FARMER News Editor

Jan. 18 2:04 a.m. | Aggravated possession of marijuana Gardner Residence Hall A person was arrested for possession and concealing of marijuana.

Jan. 18 10:10 p.m. | Larceny Justice Residence Hall This crime is being investigated further.

Source: ASU Police

Jan. 19 2:50 p.m. | Larceny Summit Residence Hall This crime is being investigated further.

Jan. 20 8:27 p.m. | Vandalism Bowie Parking Lot

Criminal damage to property was reported. The case has been closed due to exhausted leads.

There aren’t many college graduates that can say they worked in the nation’s capital right out of school.

But an Appalachian State University alumna spent last semester as an unpaid intern in the White House’s Office of Communication.

Emily Furfaro worked for the White House from Aug. 29 to Jan. 11 after graduating with a degree in public relations in May 2012.

Through the internship, Furfaro said she was able to experience a lot, from hearing people like First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden speak to seeing Marine One land on the South Lawn of the White House grounds.

Furfaro said her responsibilities dealt with monitoring the media, pulling news clips and sending them to other staff members. She also sifted through public polling data to find key national trends and edited communications materials before they were distributed.

“I found all of the projects I worked on to be really interesting,” Furfaro said. “I felt like I was completing things that were assisting the White House communicate with the country on important, key issues.”

Furfaro said she felt that her time at Appalachian helped prepare her for the internship.

“Many of my PR professors really helped me understand how to communicate effectively, which helped me on many of my projects while at the White House,” Furfaro said. “My political science professors were also amazing and re-

Courtesy Photo | Emily Farfo

May 2012 graduate Emily Furfaro stands on the White House lawn during her Aug. 29 to Jan. 11 internship.

ally helped me understand the issues we hear about every day.”

Furfaro said she knew she was interested in politics after taking constitutional law with Marian Williams.

“I loved all of my political science professors, but she was definitely my favorite,” Furfaro said. “She was also a big help to me while I was applying to the internship program and was willing to help me prepare for my interview.”

Williams said it was a joy having Furfaro in her class.

“I was so happy that she

got the White House internship,” Williams said.

“She sets a wonderful example for all students at Appalachian.”

Applicants have to submit multiple essays, letters of recommendations, a résumé and go through an interview process before being selected.

Furfaro is currently searching for a job in Washington, D.C. Furfaro said she wants to be the White House communications director one day, but knows “that’s going to take a while to obtain.”

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The Appalachian

News

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

January 24, 2013 |

3

Students participate in MLK Challenge

By STEPHANIE SANSOUCY

Senior News Reporter

Photo Illustration by Bowen Jones | The Appalachian

New AppCard website helps students, parents access multiple accounts

by NINA MASTANDREA Intern News Reporter

Appalachian State University’s AppCard Office launched a new website, appcard.appstate.edu, over winter break to help students and parents monitor accounts.

Independent from its prior home on the Food Services website, the new AppCard site provides access to a wide range of resources including meal plan accounts, express accounts, library checkouts, residence hall access, recreational facilities and intercollegiate events.

“We wanted to make it easier for parents and students to access their accounts,” said Heather Brandon, a Food Services specialist and developer of the new AppCard website. “A couple of new things that we have done on the site, just to make it easier, is that we have added the ‘Deposit Now’ icon. We wanted to

make it very visible, because that’s what students and parents are going there to do.”

Students can also track spending, check purchases and report a card lost or stolen on the website, Brandon said.

Sophomore anthropology major Courtney McCord said she checks her account often to keep track of everything.

“It’s easy, everything is right there for you, highlighted, it’s not like a scavenger hunt,” McCord said.

“It was easy – checking my express account, the AppCard and how money can be placed on the card,” sophomore business major Natalia Pena said.

Brandon said feedback for the site is encouraged.

“And if students have any ways to improve the site, they are urged to contact us, because it’s for students and we want to make it the best it can be,” Brandon said.

Appalachian partners with A-B Tech

by LOGAN HUFF

Intern News Reporter

Appalachian State University signed its first ever 2+2 articulation agreement with Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College for the university’s fermentation sciences program, said Jane Rex, the director of the Office of Transfer Articulation.

This agreement allows six A-B Tech students to be guaranteed the next two years at Appalachian once finishing a two-year associates degree.

The idea behind the agree-

ment is to open up space in the lower level general education classes, Rex said.

Rex said that seat availability is often full in science classes, but if more people come into the university with an associates degree, it will open up space in the lower level courses so students can progress through their major more quickly.

A 2+2 agreement is “a way that we can ensure that a student can get through their undergraduate degree in a specific period of time,” Rex said.

There are expected to be two other schools within

Appalachian added to articulation agreements but cannot be named at this time, Rex said.

Seth Cohen is the director of the fermentation science program.

“It is imperative to provide students in N.C. affordable and pragmatic options to get the education they need to find employment or build a successful business,” Cohen said in a news.appstate.edu article, “The industries surrounding the fermentation sciences continue to grow and represent large economic potentials for this region.”

While students may have opted to sleep in on their day off, 237 students spent their Martin Luther King Jr. Day working with llamas, chopping wood for those without heat and planning a birthday party for senior citizens.

They did all of that while participating in Appalachian and the Community Together’s 14th annual MLK Challenge day.

Students participated in a “challenging, day-long service project” to celebrate the holiday by “living out Dr. King’s vision” of working side-by-side in the community, according to act.appstate.edu.

Students were put in groups and assigned random challenges that they had to complete by 4:30 p.m. the same day.

The groups made over $400 in cash and another $300 in gift cards and silent auctions to help fund each event by asking businesses for money.

Senior recreation management major Ava Whitehead said the MLK Challenge is one of her favorite big service events because “it’s a chance for a lot of great people to interact, and it’s people who don’t necessarily come out to all of our events.”

Students who didn’t even know if they had a spot were waiting 15 minutes before the doors opened just to be on the waiting list, Whitehead, who worked at the event, said.

Sophomore communication disorder major Callie Strachan worked on putting the finishing touches on a Habitat for Humanity house.

Strachan said she was “glad we can all make a difference on a day so important to our community.”

Shelter Coordinator for the Hospitality House Zach Ollis worked with a group of students who served lunch to guests, among other tasks.

Ollis said Martin Luther King Jr. Day is “one of those days people sit down and think about the impact one person can have.”

Junior psychology major Joshua Carr said that the event was a chance for him to do that in his own way.

“I think [Martin Luther

(Top) Sophomore apparel design and merchandising major Kelsey Stryker serves lunch at the Hospitality House. (Bottom) Freshman finance major Amanda Carter and freshman geography major Lindsey Rotche work on a farm Monday. The students volunteered at various local locations as part of the 14th Annual Martin Luther King Challenge.

Photos by Courtney Roskos | The Appalachian

King Jr. Day] is a reminder of what one man with motivation can do,” said Carr, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha – the same fraternity as Martin Luther King Jr. Activities Director at Appalachian Brian Estates Nancy Dennett said having a group from the MLK Challenge plan the community’s January birthday party

is a way to celebrate the day with different generations to “hear what it was like.”

Diane Price of The Farm at Mollies Branch put students to work in the garden and with her llamas.

Price said that she admires King’s peace initiative and “having students come out and keep that dream alive is incredible.”

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4

A&E

The Appalachian

| January 24, 2013

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

Artist Roy Strassberg addresses horrors Review: of the Holocaust with pottery, sculptures Parquet

by LOVEY COOPER A&E Reporter

A

s a descendent of those affected by the Holocaust, its long-reaching effects play an important role in artist Roy Strassberg’s pottery and sculpture.

His interest in working with themes related to the Holocaust trace back to 1958, when Strassberg, interim chairman of the Department of Art, recalls seeing a documentary on television with his father in New York.

The show, titled “Remember Us,” focused on Nazi concentration camps, a subject that had been often broached by his family but never fully explained.

Strassberg said the first images he saw of the camps were “horrific.”

“I remember laughing because I was embarrassed seeing naked women being forced to run through the streets of either Poland or Germany – wherever it was – and my father got terribly angry,” Strassberg said.

After that interaction, Strassberg began to understand the significance those events held to his personal family history.

“We didn’t talk much about the subject, but it’s sort of palpably in the air in terms of the kind of experience I had culturally, growing up where I did with the family I did and

the family history we had,” he said. “My grandparents had huge families, many of whom did not come to America and all of whom perished in one way or another because of the Holocaust.”

But Strassberg didn’t always focus his work on the Holocaust.

Rather, the sculptor began his career producing more traditional works, pushing aside his initial interest in portraying themes and images related to the Holocaust.

After practicing pottery in college, Strassberg realized in graduate school that he wanted to instead shift his focus toward ceramic sculpture.

“I got really good at it, and I got really tired of it,” Strassberg said of a period during the 1980s, which he spent his career producing art he calls “almost decorative” and “overly careful.”

In 1992, he returned to his earlier work in Holocaust themes.

“My career took a trajectory for the worse when I started to work on what I considered to be important,” Strassberg said. “The work is not attractive in a traditional sense. You could call it grotesque, you could call it ugly.”

Strassberg said the visual representation of these horrific events is a means to facilitate conversation.

“It’s about issues I think that can’t be ad-

Courts’ debut is poetic punk

by COLIN MOORE A&E Reporter

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

Courtesy Photo | Spencer Calkins

Interim Chairman of the Department of Art Roy Strassberg works in his studio.

Strassberg creates artwork with themes related to the Holocaust.

dressed with the aesthetic response that you would have to different kinds of subjecs,” he said.

His work has recently included geometric pots based on aerial views and topographical maps of concentration camps.

In contrast to his earlier sculptures, which he said he thinks “looks like the Holocaust,” the pots are neutral but meant to evoke the same sentiment.

“As a person of my ethnic and cultural and religious background, it’s

Maya

Continued from pg 1

Paul Heckert | The Appalachian

Maya Angelou refers to one of her books during her speech at Holmes Convocation Center that was part of the 29th Annual MLK Commemoration held Tuesday night.

interwoven with lines of poetry and vignettes of her life.

Several times throughout the speech the audience stood up to applaud a line or roared a cheer of approval. In a segment about race, she spoke about a time she walked out of her office to make a point on her first day with 20th Century Fox. “Do not sit in the company of people who use racial pejoratives,” she warned. “But, I encourage you before you get up and walk out, just make sure you have the keys to your car.”

The audience laughed at jokes such as that one, but she also spoke to the audience about the dark years of her youth after her mother’s boyfriend raped her. He was beaten to death the

just part of the conversation and perhaps always will be,” Strassberg said.

“Somebody has to do it.

The story needs to be told.

The survivors, most of them are gone, somebody has to tell the story, and it might as well be me.”

day he was released from jail and the experience caused her to quit speaking to anyone besides her brother for years.

“I thought that my voice could kill people,” she said.

It was during those years that Angelou said she began to read poetry and form an emotional connection with poets such as Shakespeare, James Milton Jr. and Edgar Allan Poe. Poetry taught her that the human condition is a shared condition, regardless of race or creed or gender, she said.

“I thought Shakespeare – he’s got to be a black man – a black girl, actually,” she said. “How else could he know how it is to be scorned? You need poetry to tell you you’re just right, that you’re better than you think you are.”

At the end of the speech, Angelou sang and recited a few poems, including the one she wrote for the United Nations.

Swift Science frontman JD Rust talks music, band history

by R. SCOTT MORRIS A&E Editor

The Boone-based foursome Swift Science has performed at venues ranging from bar shows to a spot at area music festivals.

The Appalachian recently caught up with guitarist and lead vocalist JD Rust to discuss the band’s music and development.

The Boone area band is set to play at Legends Thursday.

The Appalachian: Your Facebook page says that the band is from Boone.

Do you think that the area’s history and music scene affected the band’s development?

JD Rust: “The area’s history and scene definitely affected our development, but not in a way you would think. Ignoring the fascinating origin of bluegrass in Appalachia, we came to town almost six years ago into a scene dominated by jam bands.

Though I loved going to see those bands, it was that density of jam mu-

sic that drove our group toward something a little different. It also has to do with our love of old blues that kept us wanting to write more material with that base influence.”

TA: How exactly did you guys get started?

JR: “I used to play with a local band in town that was popular at the time, and after they graduated and left town, I found myself itching to get back on stage. I created a Facebook group – back when those existed – called ‘I play an instrument and I live in Boone.’ It was staged as a way to connect local musicians for whatever they were looking for, but I only made it to look for members for a new musical project of mine. Through that, I found our drummer Ben Mercer, and we immediately clicked. We tried out several bass players and finally heard from some local musicians that a guy named Everett Thomas was a great bassist, so we tried him out and he fit perfectly. Three years later

(828) 264-3644

we decided that we wanted to add a new variable to our sound and settled on finding a banjo player.

I posted a status, again on Facebook, saying we were looking for a banjo player, and after a few offers we had Patty Finnen audition. He was already a fan of ours, and not only did he sound great, but he was a guy we all liked. So after writing some new material with Patty, here we all sit.”

TA: What does Swift Science’s songwriting process look like? Is there one person in particular responsible for it, or is it more of a collaborative process?

JR: “I almost always come up with a melody and guitar line for the songs. I get a rough version with some scratch lyrics and present it to the band. If they don’t tell me that it’s awful, I tell them the ideas I had for their parts, and they make them better. That’s pretty much how it’s always been, though a few songs have surfaced from jams.”

TA: How often do you play in the Boone area?

Have you played at Legends before?

JR: “We try to only play once a month in Boone, but it becomes difficult because we have made some great friends at a lot of local venues and want to play at them all. Sometimes, outside of paying venues we will do a few house shows in order to gain some younger fans that may not yet be able to come to our bar shows.

We have played at Legends once before and are very excited to be back there.”

TA: You released an album in April of last year.

What can you tell us about it?

JR: “We are very proud of our album we released.

It has poor sound quality, and I still think our song writing at that point wasn’t strong enough, but we worked extremely hard to make it. We recorded it on Garage Band with only one microphone,

track-by-track. Considering that, it sounds incredible. We had zero abilities to correct mistakes other than trying to play or sing it perfectly, so when we finally had a finished product with no outside help, it made us very proud.”

TA: Are there any further albums planned so far? What do you see in the band’s future?

JR: “We are currently working on a new album with a friend of ours who is a producer in Los Angeles. He is from Charlotte, and flies back periodically to record us. Needless to say, the sound quality is much better. We are recording it as we write the songs, so we honestly have no idea when we will be able to release it, but we have released one song as a teaser on our Facebook page called ‘Calm Down,’ and you can find it at www.facebook.com/ swiftscience.”

Doors open at 9 p.m.

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Some refer to 1991 as “The Year Punk Broke,” a euphemism for mainstream acceptance of various genres related to punk and post-punk, largely due to the commercial success of bands such as Nirvana.

While so-called “alternative rock” hasn’t really disappeared from the mainstream, it’s arguably evolved into something distant from its vital, energetic roots.

In other words, it’s been a long time since “The Year Punk Broke,” and it may be time for it to break again.

Parquet Courts, a quartet of former Texans who are now Brooklyn-based, are but the most recent and fascinating group in this vein. Their debut album “Light Up Gold” is excellent and refreshing.

“Gold” is primarily a very catchy, enjoyable record. The production is loose and gritty without being lo-fi and the tracks flow into each other to provide a compact, engaging 33-minute listen.

The angular riffs and jittery rhythms found here are reminiscent of bands like Wire, but when filtered through hooky melodies and poetic lyrics, Parquet Courts often resemble literate 1990s indie rock like Pavement.

However, reducing Parquet Courts to a list of influences is somewhat counterproductive. “Light Up Gold” is its own fresh take on independent rock, different from other bands, with strong messages about insecurity and cynicism.

The album starts off strong with opener “Master of My Craft,” a snarky character study of a pretentious businessman anchored by catchy guitar lines and a sarcastic vocal from frontman Andrew Savage.

“Craft” ends by dropping immediately into the incredible “Borrowed Time” with a shouted “Two-three-four!”

“Time” is an irresistibly hooky slice of guitar pop with a pitch-perfect lyrical theme of motivation neglect.

Parquet Courts continues this existential post-collegiate angst throughout the album with each track serving as a sometimes caustic and more often hilarious commentary on what Savage sees as a society with misplaced ideals.

Other highlights include the rip-roaring “Yonder is Closer to the Heart,” which uses mundane imagery of crumpled receipts and pocket lint as a catalyst for a carpediem-style epiphany.

The longest song, “Stoned and Starving,” starts with one of the album’s best riffs before managing to become funny and relatable.

“Starving” is a testament to Parquet Courts ability to marry their considerable songwriting skills with unique, complex lyrics.

Rating:

3.5 out of 4 stars

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OPINION

The Appalachian

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com January 24, 2013 | 5

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

THE APPALACHIAN Your student newspaper since 1934

STAFF OPINION

MLK’s memory brings attention to Obama’s legacy

MICHAEL BRAGG Editor-in-Chief

CHELSEY FISHER Managing Editor

ABBI PITTMAN 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

KEVIN GRIFFIN This week saw what many would say was a fitting coincidence: the second inauguration of the United States’ first black president and the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. To further highlight the symbolic associations this unique event carries, President Barack Obama took his public oath on

the bible of King, as well as President Abraham Lincoln’s bible.

This occasion gives us a chance to consider the important question of what degree Obama embodies the legacy and ideals of King.

I’m sure the fact that Americans had made enough progress that a black man was taking the presidential oath would have pleased King, and he likely would have approved of Obama’s statements supportive of equal gay rights in his inaugural address.

However, the actions of Obama up to this point seem to contrast in some ways strongly with the legacy that King leaves behind.

Under Obama’s governance, the U.S. has increased its use of drone

strikes, a practice that has been shown to be inefficient in killing terrorists and costly to civilians.

CNN reported in September 2012 that 474 to 881 civilians had been killed in drone strikes and the percentage of “‘high level’ targets” killed is 2 percent of casualties.

I don’t see King, a well-known practitioner of non-violence and critic of the Vietnam War, viewing this favorably.

One of Martin Luther King Jr.’s most lauded qualities was his personal strength in standing up to powerful interests. Obama’s first term does not show the president to quite have the spine that King did.

After the debt ceiling of 2011, House Speaker John Boehner

claimed in a CBS interview that he had gotten “98 percent” of what he wanted in negotiations with the president.

This is one of several occasions that Obama has shown his willingness to sacrifice much more than necessary, and budge easily on key principles.

I do not know what Obama’s second term will bring. Perhaps he will make good on his promises for equality, stand up more forcefully for what is important and rethink aspects of his foreign policy.

Right now, however, the balance is not in his favor.

Griffin, a freshman journalism major from Madison, is the opinion editor.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

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.

Andrew Cox | The Appalachian

The Appalachian is holding an interest meeting Thursday, Jan. 24 5:30 p.m.

Student Union Room 217

STAFF OPINION

Tuition hikes threaten students’ right to education

AUSTIN MANN The News and Observer reported that over the winter break N.C. State University Chancellor Randy Woodson received a 14.6 percent raise, a onetime bonus of $112,630 and a retirement plan.

His pay has now been increased to an annual salary of $495,000.

This comes at the same

time news is delivered about tuition hikes and funding cuts.

Carolina Public Press reports that Appalachian’s tuition will increase by $230 on Dec. 17, as well as spike by $120 in general fees and $44 in indebtedness fees. In-state undergraduates will pay $3,772 per semester – up from $3,542 last year.

This is nothing new, as the Carolina Public Press also reports that similar tuition hikes are seen across North Carolina.

Tuition for UNCAsheville’s in-state undergraduates would increase $190, nudging the cost from $3,476 to $3,666

for the 2013-14 academic year. Tuition at Western Carolina University would rise $272 for the year, from $3,397 to $3,669 for in-state undergraduates, according to the Carolina Public Press article.

“We do not like the notion of increasing tuition, but we have to be concerned about maintaining the quality of the educational experience we provide to our students,” Vice Provost for Resource Management Timothy Burwell said in an article in The Appalachian on Oct. 22.

While Burwell’s intentions are noble, who doesn’t want to preserve

education? His statement is naïve and ignorant of the overall picture.

To balance the budget, cuts are made to those programs that are “unnecessary.” This includes tuition hikes and cuts to women, African-American and LGBTQ studies, as well as the arts. Not only does this affect our schools, it affects society at large as many social programs are cut.

This doesn’t fit well with the current legislature’s plans to cut taxes.

Who will be hit hardest by these austere cuts?

Those who have a hard enough time without it; the poor and underprivi-

leged will be forced to work multiple jobs or even quit school.

I hope that Woodson likes his raise, and I hope that Burwell is satisfied with his budget, because while they are no doubt in a very comfortable position, there are many students who are not so lucky.

We do not have to accept this fate. Budget cuts hit every single one of us, so we should all band together to stop it. Education is a right, not a privilege.

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

STAFF OPINION

Debt ceiling resolution is a victory for Americans

KENT VASHAW

Have any questions?

Email editor@theappalachianonline.com

(828) 264-3644

I breathed a sigh of relief Friday when The New York Times announced, “House G.O.P. Agrees to Lift Debt Limit.”

The confrontation between President Barack Obama and the Republicans over the debt

ceiling was initially a nightmare.

Republicans in Congress initially refused to raise the debt ceiling, which could have had serious consequences.

“The whole structure of world financial markets is built around the use of Treasury bills as the ultimate safe asset; what happens if they lose that status?” economist Paul Krugman said in The New York Times. “It would certainly be an interesting experiment, but one best carried out if you have plenty of bottled water and spare ammunition in your basement.”

One effect of our debt de-

faulting would be the immediate impact on students with student loans. Obama said in a news conference that the economic instability that would follow a failure to raise the debt ceiling would cause a huge spike in interest rates of student loans, leaving many students to pay the price of this standoff. So this confrontation could have had real and immediate consequences.

The Republican’s attempt to hold the economy hostage has failed; the announcement that they would back down provided a win to Obama, whose power

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has been cemented. He stood up the Republicans and didn’t blink. Compared to their other option, it is also a win for Republicans.

But the real winners of this decision are the American people. There’s the obvious victory of not having the probable negative economic consequences of a U.S. default. But, more so, there’s the reassurance that sometimes what’s best for the country triumphs over partisan politics.

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

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Official University News & Announcements

Meeting Notes

Send copy to David W. Freeman, Director of Student Publications, Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, second floor, Plemmons Student Union, or e-mail: freemandw@appstate.edu.

Spring Counseling Center groups

Understanding Self and Others Group—Issues commonly addressed vary from depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, self-esteem, issues of family conflict or abuse, etc. Students who want to resolve specific concerns as well as those seeking personal growth are welcome. Mondays 1:30-3 p.m., Tuesdays 1:30-3 p.m. and 3-4:30 p.m. USOGet Moving (moving your body to increase wellness- see below for details), Wednesdays 2:30-4 p.m., Thursdays 1:30-3 p.m. (Transitions to ASU Group, doesn’t start until October) and USO-DOG 3:30-5 p.m. (group Therapy with co-leaders and a therapy dog)

Lesbian/Gay /Bisexual Therapy Group—This group will present an opportunity for lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals to explore life challenges. Fridays 1-2:30 p.m.

Painful Pasts, Promising Futures Group—This group is designed for those who have experienced traumatic events in their lives or who come from backgrounds in which they did not feel safe. Wednesdays 3-4:30 p.m.

Transgender Therapy Group—This group is similar to the “Understanding Self and Others” group in that a variety of issues will be explored in a safe and supportive environment.

Wednesdays 5-6:30 p.m. (For information contact Sheri Clark: 262-3180 or clarksl@appstate.edu)

Food/Mood Group—This group is designed for students who use food and/or exercise to cope in ways that would be considered “unhealthy”. To Be Determined.

An Introduction to Mindfulness Group—Mindfulness involves stepping out of “auto-pilot” reactions and learning to pay more attention to our present experiences. Mondays 3:30-5 p.m.

USO-Get Movin’ Active Bodies Healthy Minds—Did you know that exercise is one of the best mental health interventions we know of? Tuesdays 3-4:30 p.m.

To get started with a Counseling Center group, come to the Counseling Center during Walk-In Clinic, call 262-3180 or visit our website for more information www.counseling. appstate.edu. If you are interested in group but these times do not work for you, please get in touch with Chris Carden at 262-3180 or cardendc@appstate.edu.

Music therapy may help recovery

Are you looking for support in making a lifestyle change or recovery regarding alcohol, substance use, or other addictive behaviors? Music therapy may help you in this journey!

No musical training or experience is needed, and a variety of musical experiences will be used. For more information, call 262-3148, or come by the ASU Student Wellness Center, 2nd Floor Annas Support Building, beside Health Service), starting in October, date and time TBD.

A Service of the Division of Student Development

novelist Alan Michael Parker. The event will be held in the Table Rock Room of Plemmons Student Union at 7:30 p.m.

Earlier that day, at 2 p.m. in the same Table Rock Room, a Craft Talk, “Real Gardens and Fake Trees; Or, How to Write the Life Imagined,” will be held.

Poet Nathalie Anderson will read from her works on March 28 in Lecture Hall 114, Belk Library, at 7:30 p.m. A Craft Talk, “Writing Around,” will be held in Attic Window Room, Plemmons Student Union, at 2 p.m.

Fiction writer and memorist Brett Lott will read form his works on April 4 in the Table Rock Room, Plemmons Student Union, at 7:30 p.m. A Craft Talk, “Writing With So Great a Cloud of Witnesses,” will be held in Table Rock at 3:30 p.m.

Novelist and poet Darnell Arnoult will read from his works on April 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Table Rock Room, Plemmons Student Union. A Craft Talk, “The Sublime Fiction Triangle,” will be held at 3:30 p.m. in Table Rock.

ACT to sponsor May event

Appalachian & the Community Together (ACT) at Appalachian State University will sponsor an International ASE May Break event May 13-28, in Thailand and Ghana. Sign up now in the new ACT Outreach Center located in Plemmons Student Union. A $500 deposit and your ID is required.

Applications available

Application materials are now available for the Renewable Energy Initiative (REI) & University Research Council (URC) Grants Program.

Program synopsis: The REI has as its mission to reduce the environmental impact of Appalachian State University by replacing the University’s existing sources of energy with cleaner forms of renewable energy technology on campus and serve as a resource for students and faculty by identifying and investing in the most appropriate energy products. The REI is partnering with the URC to sponsor faculty research related to renewable energy and applicable to the Appalachian State University campus. The REI/URC research grant initiative supports the Appalachian State University Strategic Plan priority to provide resources for quality research in focus areas of strength, including renewable energy. Proposals should define a research or creative project appropriate to renewable energy inquiry in the discipline of the originating faculty member. The proposed research or creative project must have direct applicability to Appalachian State University’s campus or its carbon footprint.

Application deadline is Noon, Jan. 31. Six awards will be made during this competition cycle: two awards for a maximum of $5,000 each, and four awards for a maximum of $2,500 each.

Program guidelines and application instructions: Available on the ORSP website.

Plemmons Medallion deadline Feb.15 Get ready for Fall 2013 Housing

The W. H. Plemmons Leadership Medallion, named in honor of Dr. William H. Plemmons who served as the second president of the University from 1955 to 1969, was established by an action of the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees in 1996. The award was created to recognize the time, energy, skills, and commitment of students, faculty, student development educators and staff who exceed their peers in providing leadership that enriches the quality of student life and advances the education of students.

Students and university employees are invited to nominate a student or university employee for this award. Nominations may be made in the following categories:

A student leader who has provided distinguished leadership above that of other student leaders.

A Student Development Educator within the Division of Student Development for meritorious leadership in his or her work to enrich the quality of student life and learning.

A member of the faculty who has provided meritorious leadership through his or her work with student clubs or organizations, or work that enriches the quality of student life and learning outside the classroom.

An employee of Appalachian State University who has provided meritorious leadership that has significantly enriched the quality of student life and learning outside of the classroom.

Nominations for this award will be accepted through Friday, Feb. 15. Nominations may be submitted electronically.

For additional information, please contact Dino DiBernardi, Chair of the W. H. Plemmons Medallion Committee, at 2622060 or visit our website.

Global Women’s Series in March

The campus and local community are invited to attend the first Global Womens Series, scheduled for March 2013. The theme for the series is “Women and the Environment: Ecofeminism and Activism.” We encourage faculty to participate and have their students attend.

Tuesday, March 5, 5 to 7 p.m., Opening Event, “Environmental Activism: Expressions of Inspiration”, Price Lake, second floor in Plemmons Student Union.

Welcome remarks by Dr. Sandra Lubarsky, Director of Sustainable Development, followed by performance art and a networking reception featuring student and local community groups involved in environmental activism.

Week of March 18 (day TBA), 7 p.m.: Film, with panel discussion to follow, IG Greer Theatre.

Hosted by the Global Women’s Series and sponsored by Department of Sustainability, Library, and Geology as part of the annual Sustainability Film Series.

Wednesday, March 27, 7 p.m.: Keynote presentation with Dr. Chris Cuomo, “Eco-Feminism and Climate Change”; Parkway Ballroom, 4th floor of new addition in Plemmons Student Union

Dr. Cuomo is professor of Philosophy and Women’s Studies at the University of Georgia, and an affiliate faculty member of the Environmental Ethics Certificate Program and the Institute for African-American Studies.

The Global Womens Series addresses contemporary global issues affecting women and girls and is a collaborative effort between faculty, students, staff and community members.

The program is co-sponsored by the Office of International Education and Development, Womens Studies, and the Belk Library. For more information, contact Sarah Bergstedt at bergstedtss@appstate.edu.

Visiting Writers begins in February

Appalachian State University’s Spring 2013 Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series begins Feb. 28 with poet and

Students! Get ready for Fall 2013 Housing. Find your match.

Now is the time to consider your housing options for fall. In order to get your preferences (location, cost, roommates, amenities, etc.), you need to plan ahead. University Housing, Off-Campus Community Relations, and the Student Legal Clinic have partnered to provide important information about finding the best housing for your needs. They’re offering three, one-hour programs during the month of January. Learn about issues related to both on and off-campus housing, including timelines and procedures for obtaining housing, cost, location, utilities, leases, roommate choices, etc. Register for “Find Your Match” at http://offcampus.appstate.edu/. All programs are one hour long and will be held in the Watauga River Room of the Student Union. Spring Semester 2013 Programs are: Wednesday, Jan. 16, at 11 a.m.; Tuesday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m.; and Monday, Jan. 28, at noon.

“APPsearch: New Search Engine Now Available at Belk Library & Information Commons.”

APPsearch now at Belk Library

Belk Library & Information Commons announces the introduction of new, advanced search technology that will make finding the library’s resources easier. The new web-based search engine, called “APPsearch”, searches the library catalog and selected databases, offering content in various formats such as articles; e-books and print books; e-journals and print journals, CDs, DVDs, maps, printed music, and websites. New features include suggestions of recently added or popular items, tags added by library users, and facets for easily modifying search results or accessing specific library databases. Library patrons can access all this from a single, “Google-like” search box.

Use APPsearch from the library’s homepage or access it directly at appencore.wncln.org.

The new system is similar in look and feel to current popular websites and will allow the University Library to be a more effective site for our community’s information needs. Whether searching on a subject or a specific book or journal, users will be more likely to be able to find what they are looking for, more easily than before. APPsearch returns items that are clearly listed by relevance and can be expanded or refined according to publication date, collection, language, or by subject as presented in a Tag Cloud. The Tag Cloud, which is found on websites like the Flickr photo-sharing service, presents a grouping of words related to searches that users can click on to launch new searches.

According to Andrea Leonard, E-Resources Librarian at Belk Library, “APPsearch provides sophisticated search results presented in a simple and clean interface. We think our patrons will find APPsearch quite useful, whether you’re an undergraduate searching for information for a paper or a graduate student looking for in-depth research materials or seeking interdisciplinary connections on a topic.”

Leonard continues, “Now our users can move beyond the classic online library catalog to a richer online discovery experience which encompasses much more content. You will be able to retrieve a variety of resources without having to be an advanced user of an online library catalog.”

The APPsearch discovery services platform was developed by Innovative Interfaces, a California library technology company that serves over 4500 public and academic libraries around the world.

Want to serve? Here’s your chance

The Student Conduct Board and Academic Integrity Board are seeking new members to serve throughout the 2013-2014 academic year. Members of the board serve as role models within the university community and are expected to act with integrity in all aspects of their student life. This is a challenging, yet rewarding position, which carries with it a unique level of responsibility. Applications are available electronically at www.

studentconduct.appstate.edu, or call 262-2704 with your questions. Students applying should be in good conduct standing with no personal academic integrity violations. A minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA is required. Applicants should have the ability to fair and just, and have Tuesday nights available for Student Conduct Board applicants. Deadline for application is Feb. 15.

Music therapy research needs women

Women between the ages of 50 and 80 are needed to participate in a research study approved by the University’s Institutional Review Board and directed by Dr. Christine P. Leist in the Music Therapy Program of the Hayes School of Music. This research study will examine the effect of music therapy on psychosocial risk factors of women who have experienced a heart attack, and/or been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, and/or had a heart procedure or surgery. The group will listen to music and make music together for stress/ relaxation purposes. No musical training is required. For more information, please contact Christine Leist, Ph.D., MTBC (MusicTherapist-Board Certified) or Alexa Dorris (Music Therapy Graduate Student) at musictherapystudy@appstate. edu or (828) 262-6663. If no answer, please leave a message.

UREC Academy helps with children

Looking for a way to keep your children involved in sports during the winter season? University Recreation offers UREC Academy just for them. UREC Academy offers this program to youth of the High Country, ages 7-17. It is open to all skill levels from beginner to advanced. UREC offers group trainings and personal training programs for soccer, volleyball, and basketball. Please visit the UREC Academy website at http://urec.appstate.edu/pagesmith/559 for more information about group training dates, levels of training, and prices. If you have questions, you may contact Melissa Marcantonio, UREC Academy Programmer, at 828-262-2100, marcantoniocm@ appstate.edu.

Handmade Market returns Feb. 9

The Appalachian Heritage Annual Fiddlers Convention will again feature the Handmade Market. Come display and sell handmade crafts in the Plemmons Student Union Feb. 9. The deadline to register is Feb. 5. If you are interested in setting up a booth, please email Brittany Johnson at johnsonba1@ appstate.edu for more information.

Diversity Celebration seeks Top 5

Submit your entry for the 2013 Diversity Celebration slogan competition. The Diversity Celebration Marketing Committee will vote and choose the top 5 slogan entries. The top 5 slogans will be posted for students to vote and choose the winning slogan. Slogan submissions close Feb. 14.

Want to sing? Join the App Chorale

Do you miss singing in choir? Would you like to sing choral masterworks by composers such as Haydn, Handel, Britten and Vivaldi? The Appalachian Chorale is a choir of students and community members, open to all area adults who feel that they can hold their own on a choral part. No audition is required. Rehearsals are Mondays from 7-9 p.m. The group is led by Dr. Linda Larson, chorale director, with Dr. Joby Bell, accompanist/organist. This semester the chorale will prepare Haydn’s “Missa Brevis No. 7” and Britten’s “Rejoice in the Lamb” for a concert on Tuesday, April 30, at 8 p.m. New members are welcome on Jan. 28 at Broyhill Music Center Room 214 on campus. For more information, contact the Hayes School of Music at 828-262-3020 or email Larson at larsonll@appstate.edu.

‘Perception’ at Looking Glass

“Perception,” an installation work of artist Rachel Ginder, is on display through Feb. 5 at Appalachian State University’s Looking Glass Gallery. Ginder is a senior psychology and art major.

A reception for the show will be held Feb. 1 from 6-7 p.m. in the gallery located on the first floor of Plemmons Student Union. The public is invited.

Life’s experiences shape the human view of the world. In “Perception,” Ginder creates a space that mimics a child’s play tent in which viewers are encouraged to step away from traditional notions of art and view the work with child-like wonder and curiosity.

Through her playful, fabric-filled space, Ginder depicts subjects that once inspired fear in her own life. “I use play as a means of finding comfort in my fears, in the things I cannot face. By making toys out of the things I fear, they become controllable. If I can control them, they cannot hurt me,” she said.

Those who interact with the space do not simply look at the work. They play within the world she has built. As viewers make their way through the tent, stepping into a woodland scene filled with animals, walking along a train track, or becoming engulfed in a deep sea scene, there is no worry of the unknown or uncontrolled. Instead, the space becomes a playground where fear is replaced with joy.

“This installation is about turning back the clock and making a new memory to replace my past ones,” Ginder said. “This time will be different because I make it different. I will defeat all my fears and make them feel safe.”

Ginder’s exhibit is her thesis project for honors recognition in the Department of Psychology and Department of Art, and university honors from The Honors College. Looking Glass Gallery will be used during the exhibition as a space for a psychological study Ginder has connected to the work. Ginder hopes to explore the effect that play has on stress reduction.

Looking Glass Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. – 10 p.m., and Sunday from noon – 10 p.m. Gallery admission is free. For more information, visit http://LookingGlassGallery.appstate.edu.

2013 Multicultural Programming Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, Blue Ridge Ballroom, 7 p.m. “Hidden Voices: The Lives of Queer Muslims.” Participants will learn about sexual and gender minorities within the Muslim world and examine the complex intersection of Islam, sexuality and gender.

Faisal Alam is a queer-identified Muslim activist of Pakistani descent. At age 19, while trying to reconcile his sexuality with his faith, Faisal organized the firstever gathering of LGBT Muslims, which led to the founding of Al-Fatiha, an organization dedicated to supporting and empowering lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex & questioning (LGBTIQ) Muslims, and their allies.

SPORTS

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

January 24, 2013 |

Kilgore

you didn’t always say ‘I want to play in a national championship for Appalachian State.’

As a kid you’re like ‘I want to play in the Super Bowl, I’ve always dreamed about playing in a Super Bowl.’ Playing in a national championship was awesome, don’t get me wrong, it was an unbelievable experience, but actually playing in a Super Bowl... it’s unbelievable, and knowing that we’re going to go down there and take care of business.”

Continued from pg 1

TA: What was your most memorable experience at Appalachian?

DK: “Definitely the 2007 season. Just starting out the season beating Michigan. That whole season was pretty awesome and memorable.”

TA: How does collegiate football compare to the NFL?

TA: Almost like déjà vu, in the championship game in 2007, you played against the University of Delaware where Joe Flacco happened to be quarterback. Does that help your team’s preparation at all or is it already in the mix?

DK: “Definitely the speed and size of the players are different. There are a lot of players that don’t realize the amount of information that they give you and being able to retain all the information. It’s a lot of work that goes into a game plan for each and every week.

This is game 23 for us, counting preseason and all of postseason, so it’s a long season. So I think the mental toughness is the biggest difference from college to the NFL.”

your preparation for the Super Bowl at all?

DK: “[Flacco’s] a much different player from where he was. He’s a great quarterback and he was a great quarterback in college. And when he was in Delaware we had a great defense, we got out and pressured him all night, intercepted a couple of his balls, and now he’s got to deal with the same thing. We have an outstanding defense and our defensive line is unbelievable. Against the run, they do a great job getting pressure from the linebackers and then you won’t find a better secondary in the NFL. Not much has changed as far as him being in a pressure game versus great defenses.”

DK: “There’s no comparison. You’re playing in the game that is the most watched game in the world. You’re probably in the game that every kid and coach has always dreamed of playing in. There’s no way you can compare it. Growing up

DK: “The first time I ever came to Boone, the team was practicing and I was in high school and it was freezing cold

TA: How did your time at Appalachian prepare you for the NFL? DK: “I never really had [anyone who] pushed me to say ‘hey you have a real opportunity to play in the NFL’ up until my last season. If I had known the whole time I was going to go into the NFL, like a lot of people do, I think I would have done a few things differently. The biggest things are how to take care of what things need to get done, the amount of time that goes into winning football games and actually handling pressure and being on the big stage. It prepares you to go out there and win big pressure games, you

File Photo | The Appalachian

Offensive lineman Daniel Kilgore, right, (63) covers for quarterback Armanti Edwards in a 2009 game against Georgia Southern.

always have those big games and Appalachian was always in the playoffs. That mentally prepared me to be able to handle bigger games.”

TA: You’ve played on the big stage before in the NCAA National Championship game in 2007, does that effect

TA: What was your fondest memory of the former head coach Jerry Moore and staff?

7

outside. Coach Moore greeted me when I got to Boone and I sat there in the freezing cold while they practiced. Then a couple weeks later I go back to visit, for an official visit, and sat down and had a great talk with them and they offered me a full scholarship. Sitting there that night with coach Moore and talking with him and my mother was there and giving him my commitment to Appalachian State saying, ‘I want to come play for you.’ I’m so thankful for what he did for me and my family in giving me a scholarship. Coach Moore and I have talked numerous times. For what he’s done for that program and for what he did for that community and the men and women who had any part with that program or with that school, it’s unbelievable and we’re forever in debt for what he’s done for that school.”

TA: What would your advice be for any Appalachian student-athlete who wants to go pro or simply has the aspiration to do so?

DK: “Don’t ever take your days at Appalachian for granted. You’re always going to face adversity in your training, in your games and in your career, but always just keep pushing.

That’s the biggest thing for me. I was never a three or four time all-American from Appalachian, I didn’t win a Jacobs Blocking Trophy at App, I was always the one who overworked and, to me, through my career I went through so much and, before my senior year [we] went through the coaching change on the offensive line. You just got to keep working and push through everything and everything will play out in the end.”

BASKETBALL

Return of starting point guard gives Appalachian a winning surge

by JAMES ASHLEY Sports Reporter

Appalachian State men’s basketball team has won seven of their last nine games, largely due to the return of sophomore point guard Mike Neal.

Before Neal’s return, the Mountaineers were on a seven-game losing streak. His first game back was against The University of Missouri at Kansas City Dec. 16 where he played 31 minutes, had four assists and scored four points to help the Mountaineers.

Neal said it’s a dream come true that he was able to play again.

“It‘s like getting your dream taken away,” Neal said. “Being able to get back on the team and help the guys win feels real good.”

Neal was ruled academically ineligible and could not participate in the first eight games

of the season. Neal was able to practice with the team, but when they traveled, he said he was in the gym working out or lifting, trying to get better and preparing for his return.

Freshman point guard Chris Burgess took over for Neal while he was ineligible. Since Neal returned to the starting rotation, he has averaged 10.1 points, four assists and three turnovers a game, according to goasu.com.

“Ever since I came back, everyone gets to play his natural position,” Neal said. “Everyone gained confidence because they are playing where they normally play. It’s a huge push.”

Head coach Jason Capel said that Neal is a very talented player and brings many elements to the team.

“Mike gives us some experience when he plays,” Capel said. “He

brings confidence to the team and when he’s playing his best, he’s one of the top point guards in the league.”

The Mountaineers were at the top of the Southern Conference standings before taking two losses this past weekend to Chattanooga and Samford.

The loss to Chattanooga was a close one that ended in overtime 91-88. Senior captain Nathan Healy had a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, according to goasu.com.

Healy explained that the game of basketball is guard-dominated, and Neal should be at the top of the list when talking about talent level.

“Mike is the most talented player on the team,” Healy said. “There is a range of things he can do. It’s hard to put my hand on just one thing. He’s great at getting people organized

and is a great on-ball defender.”

The team added depth to the roster with Neal’s return and he said that he has the role of keeping the team organized and getting them back in the winning spirit after the losses this weekend.

“Last year, we would lose three games straight and just kept going down,” Neal said. “This year, every guy wants to win as much as the other and everyone know their role. I’m like the quarterback of the team, showing guys where to go and encouraging them to keep up their top level of play.”

The Mountaineers play back-to-back home games this week, starting with Georgia Southern on Thursday and a rivalry game against Davidson on Saturday.

Tip off against Georgia Southern is scheduled for 7 p.m.

TENNIS

Appalachian tennis opens season with mixed results

by JORDAN DAVIS Sports Reporter

Appalachian State men and women’s tennis teams hit the courts this weekend to open up the season, each with a pair of road matches against quality opponents.

The lone victory for either squad came on Friday when the women’s tennis team shut out North Carolina A&T 7-0. The Mountaineers took control early and did not look back, winning both doubles matches and dropping only one set the entire match, according to goasu.com.

The following day on a quick turnaround the Mountaineers nearly knocked off East Carolina University, but came up just short falling 3-4.

The women’s team split the singles matches 3-3 thanks to wins from Ellie Linsell, Claire Cox and Jessica Thaggard but couldn’t earn the Paul Heckert | The Appalachian crucial doubles point that Senior Gabriela Celi returns the ball across the net in a game last turned out to be the defall against Western Carolina University. ciding factor, according to

(828) 264-3644

Justin Perry | The Appalachian

Sophomore Mike Neal moves the ball down the court in the Sunday, Jan. 14 game against UNC-G. Neal was ruled academically ineligible and could not participate in the first eight games of the season, but with his return they broke their seven game losing streak.

goasu.com.

The men’s team suffered two tough shutouts over the break to the hands of some of the nation’s top tennis programs. First a 0-5 loss at No. 39 South Carolina on Jan. 19, followed by a 0-9 loss at No. 42 UNC-Wilmington.

The Mountaineers failed to win a set in either of the two matches, but head coach Bob Lake said the play was better than what the scores would indicate, and that the team needs to play more consistently.

“These larger schools will schedule us because they know we can give a good fight,” Lake said. “But, we know why we’re here. We would love to win, but we are here to get better.”

The men will look to have more success this Saturday in their home opener against Presbyterian College while the women have another weekend of travel ahead of them with three matches in two days in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.

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Upcoming Sports Events Jan. 24 Men’s Basketball -Georgia Southern* -in Boone, N.C. -7 p.m.

Jan. 25-26 Women’s Track & Field -Kentucky Invitational -Indoor Season -at Lexington, Ky. -7 a.m.

Men’s Track & Field -Kentucky Invitational -Indoor Season -at Lexington, Ky. -7 a.m.

Jan. 26 Wrestling -Appalachian Open -in Boone, N.C. -All Day *Conference game

Ren Now t !

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

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January 24, 2013 |

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