Thursday, March 17

Mar.

17 2016

The Appalachian

INSIDE

NEW COUNTRY, SAME GAME Page 6-7

DINO’S REPLACEMENT Page 3

BANFF’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY Page 5

DUMP THE DRUMPF Pages 10

E T

C E T E R A

THE TEAM Malik Rahili @malikrahili EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITORIAL MULTIMEDIA BUSINESS

Charlotte Wray @_charlottewray MANAGING EDITOR Aleah Warner @aleahwarner CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Ignacio Martinez-Alvarez @theappalachian BUSINESS MANAGER

Carl Blankenship @carl_r_blank NEWS EDITOR Katie Murawski @murawskikm A&E EDITOR

Stephanie Sansoucy @stephsans DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Allison Bennett Dyche @allisonbdyche ADVISER

Chris Warner @chriswarner2293 SPORTS EDITOR Kevin Griffin @theappalachian OPINION EDITOR

CRIME LOG CAMPUS MAR. 15

MAR. 9

8:02 p.m. | Larceny L.S. Dougherty Under Investigation.

12:50 p.m. | Vandalism Plemmons Student Union Leads exhausted.

MAR. 14

FEB. 27

12:30 a.m. | Drug Violation Dale Street A student was arrested for possession of marijuana.

2:48 a.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol Doughton Hall A student was arrested for underage consumption of alcohol.

MAR. 13 11:56 p.m. | Drug Violation Dale Street Two students were arrested for possession of a Schedule VI drug.

MAR. 13 1:08 a.m. | DWI Blowing Rock Road A woman was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

MAR. 13 9:45 p.m. | Drug Violation Katherine Harper Hall A student was arrested for possession of a Schedule II drug.

FEB. 27 2:09 a.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol Eggers Hall A student was arrested for underage consumption of alcohol.

FEB. 26 4:45 p.m. | Drug Violation Greenwood Trail A student was arrested for possession of marijuana.

FEB. 26 11:41 p.m. | DWI Rivers Street A woman was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

Dallas Linger @littlelingerkid PHOTO EDITOR Carson Fletcher @theappalachian VIDEO EDITOR Dylan Dow @zen_dow WEB MANAGER

N E W S

SGA SENATOR ADVOCATES FOR NEW CROSSWALK CHAMIAN CRUZ NEWS REPORTER

T

he Student Government Association passed legislation on Nov. 17 as an endeavor to install a crosswalk between Durham Park and the JET Building to keep students from jaywalking between the two points.

Jarred Miles, a political science major, was the junior class senator that wrote the resolution for the crosswalk. Miles started research for the crosswalk in August and petitioned for SGA in September. He also traveled to Wilkesboro to speak with the district’s department of transportation coordinator on the issue.

“I was thinking of things that could be changed,” Miles said. “I was just walking on campus and it stuck out at me. There’s plenty of other things that can be done at App, but I feel like health and safety is a top priority. When human lives are at stake, I feel like it should be number one and I feel like it hasn’t been in that area.”

To prepare for his argument for the crosswalk, Miles conducted a student survey, obtained department of transportation flowcharts and got police reports on Rivers Street accidents.

He found that of 133 students surveyed, 58.2 percent claimed they felt unsafe crossing Rivers Street, 93.49 percent witnessed jaywalking “often or very often” on Rivers Street and 82.8 perecent were in favor of a crosswalk between Durham Park and the JET building.

The police reports showed that since 2010, Rivers Street had been the site of 36.3 percent of all accidents out of about 16 streets and 11 parking lots.

“Some [students, faculty and staff] actually brought their concerns to the NCDOT,” Miles said. “I was not going to take no for an answer.”

Business Affairs is reviewing the case, but ultimately the decision is up to the North Carolina Department of Transportation since Rivers Street is owned and maintained by the state. The NCDOT would also be responsible for funding the installation.

This is a long term issue for the university, but Mike O’Connor, physical plant director, said there is a lot to consider before approving the installation of a new crosswalk.

“This is a great time for this to come up because we’re getting ready to do the campus master plan for the university,” O’Connor said. “The master plan sets out

Carl Blankenship

how we’re going to do everything on campus for the next 10-20 years. That whole Rivers Street and Holmes Convocation Center and that intersection area up there is going to be looked at.”

O’Connor said the biggest issue with installing a crosswalk between Durham Park and the JET Building is that it would be too close to the intersection between U.S. Route 321 and Rivers Street. The crosswalk would require a stoplight and there would be no place to back up the cars without causing a traffic jam.

A tunnel or a pedestrian bridge similar to the one that runs from Roess Dining Hall to the parking deck are two alternatives to the crosswalk. Another option is to expand the divider between the lanes so that there would be more room for students to stand before crossing to the other side.

The master plan is expected to be completed by January 2017 and adopted by the Board of Trustees by March 2017. O’Connor said the the process of planning for the crosswalk and receiving approval by NCDOT could take up to a year with the right case. The installation of the crosswalk could take up to a month.

But O’Connor said he think the NCDOT is willing to make changes to improve pedestrian safety since legislature decided to restore some funding to the NCDOT budget.

“Of course, that’s for the entire state and we’re a very small player in that, but you know, there’s a little bit more money freeing up so maybe they’d be willing to help us out,” O’Connor said. “NCDOT is also concerned about Rivers Street and want to make some improvements to it. We work with them. They’re teammates. They’re fellow state employees. They’ll work with us to come up with a way to improve pedestrian safety.”

In the meantime, O’Connor advises that students remember the basic rules for crossing the street such as looking both ways and being aware. Students can also use the crosswalk at the end of Rivers Street, the pedestrian bridge or the tunnels that run from Rankin Hall to Garwood Hall, previously known as the CAP building.

“We’re working hard throughout the campus to make improvements where we can given the money we have,” O’Connor said. “We’re aware of these issues and we’re working on them.”

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N E W S

ASU NAMES NEW ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR OF STUDENT DEVELOPMENT

BY TOMMY CULKIN SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Appalachian State University recently appointed Leroy Wright as the new associate vice chancellor of student development, replacing Dino DiBernardi.

Wright received a bachelor’s degree in resource management from Ferris State University and received his master’s degree in counseling from Northern Arizona University.

Wright served as the dean of student life for 10 years at Ferris State, and served as an area coordinator at Dayton University “As the [dean of student life], I had all areas of student life report to me,” Wright said. “I oversaw multicultural student services, resident housing, the center for student involvement, counseling, the rec center, student conduct and the center for leadership activities and career services.”

JJ Brown, the dean of students, said Wright established himself as an early favorite in the selection process.

“He showed that he clearly did research because he was very knowledgeable about our campus and our history, and he was so deeply engaging with everyone he interacted with in the interview process and while he was out and about,” Brown said. “That just speaks volumes to who he is, who he strives to be and why he’s the right fit for App.” Wright says he believes the most important role for student services is to help college students grow as

individuals.

“When a student graduates from App State, they shouldn’t be the same person they were as a freshman,” Wright said. “They should have had an opportunity to grow, do service or become more informed about a specific profession or program.”

Wright said the position at Appalachian State was attractive to him because his responsibilities closely align with what he values most importantly.

One of his main responsibilities is to manage on-campus housing. Wright said that he worked in housing at both Northern Arizona and Ferris State and he said that he considers student housing to be the foundation of his philosophy to higher education.

Another of his responsibilities is to oversee Multicultural Student Development.

“As a person of color, I have an interest in increasing inclusion and diversity and social justice while caring for all my students,” Wright said.

To help improve diversity and inclusion, Wright said he is currently in the process of hiring a director and associate director for Multicultural Student Development.

Wright’s other responsibility as associate vice chancellor of student development is to oversee student groups and student leadership.

“I’m a big proponent of student engagement and service learning,” Wright said. “I heard from numer-

ous students that there’s interest in having a community service event over spring break, so we’re looking into that for the future.”

According to Cindy Wallace, DiBernardi left a strong legacy at Appalachian State, but she is completely confident that Wright will be able to continue that legacy.

“Dino had a deep understanding of what it means to create a rich campus life and he perfectly articulated how App State can allow a student to grow and develop,” Wallace said. “Leroy shares that vision, and he deeply cares about the students. He’s been around to various groups and campus, and talked to students and heard their concerns.”

Brown said that a lack of new faces can often lead to stagnation, so bringing in fresh perspectives is a good thing.

“I think Leroy is an incredibly deep thinker,” Brown said. “I really like his thoughts and ideas he brings to issues that we might not have seen before.”

Wright is looking forward to helping Appalachian State grow and getting to know the student body even more in the coming years.

“This isn’t just a five-year kind of job,” Wright said. “I’m looking to be here for a long time to help Appalachian grow and flourish. I have creative ideas, years of experience and a heart of compassion for students.”

FOUR MEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED BREAK IN AT CAROLINA WEST

BY SAMMY HANF NEWS REPORTER Four Greensboro residents were arrested and charged with felonies outside of a Carolina West wireless store after police responded to a report of suspicious activity.

King Savior Black, Rico Joshua Corde, Pierre Le-Lawton Little and Matthew Lee Jones III were arrested and charged with felony attempted breaking or entering of a building, felony possession of burglary tools and felony conspiracy to commit breaking or entering a building.

Boone Police said that at approximately 4:30 a.m. on March 14 they responded to a suspicious vehicle call originating near the Carolina West Wireless store in Watauga Village. The Carolina West security officer who made the call allegedly saw two males behaving suspiciously nearby before making the call.

Officers arrived at the scene to find four males in a silver four door 2000 Volkswagen Passat parked behind the business.

After making contact, officers noticed several suspicious items in the car including pry bars, multiple pairs of gloves, a large saw and bandanas tied such that they could conceal their identity.

Police detained the men and began an investigation. They were interviewed at the Boone Police Department, after which they were arrested and taken before a magistrate at the Watauga County Magistrate’s Office.

The description of the men and the tools used were consistent with surveillance videos taken at other crime scene locations in North Carolina. Sergeant Shane Robbins, of the Boone Police Department, said that a definite link had not yet been established but investigations were still ongoing.

According to a press release from Boone Police, there have been burglaries of cellphone stores all over the state and they are teaming up with other agencies to identify if these are the perpetrators of other incidents.

Top left: Rico Joshua Corde. Top right: King Savior Black. Bottom left: Pierre Le-Lawton Little. Bottom right: Matthew Lee Jones III. Photos Courtesy of Boone Police Department

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A R T S

&

E N T E R T A I N M E N T

BOONE CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL

ADRIENNE FOUTS A&E REPORTER

B

oone will celebrate its 20th year of hosting Banff Mountain Film Festival this weekend, with special anniversary events planned in addition to the sold out film screenings.

The festival, which celebrates notable outdoor adventurers, filmmakers, photographers and authors, is based at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada each fall. Banff is kicked off over “nine days bursting with stories of profound journeys, unexpected adventures and ground-breaking expeditions,” according to the Banff Centre’s press release for the festival.

Banff then embarks on a world tour in the Spring, with a selection of the festival’s best films. Boone is just one stop on the tour, which visits 42 U.S. states and 41 other countries.

The Boone screening of Banff, hosted by Appalachian State’s Outdoor Programs, has grown immensely since its beginnings in 1996. Only 185 people attended the festival in the Farthing Auditorium, now the Schaefer Center, during the first year, Associate Director of Outdoor Programs Rich Campbell said.

After being moved to I.G. Greer for a few years, Banff began to increase in popularity and outgrew the smaller venue. It was then moved back to the Schaefer Center, where it has sold out the 1600-seat facility every year since 2008. The possibility of adding a third night to the festival has been discussed, Campbell said, if Boone’s enthusiasm for Banff continues to grow.

During the festival, taking place Friday and Saturday evenings, the audience watches several short films related to outdoor recreation and expeditions, from climbing to kayaking. The films are interspersed with intermissions and prize giveaways, including an announcement of the winners of the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition.

Several local businesses have supported Banff over the years, and are helping to celebrate its 20th anniversary in Boone by hosting special events and promotions. Lost Province Brewing Company is releasing two new beers Friday along with reduced prices on some menu items.

Additionally, climbing centers Rock Dimensions, Center 45 and High Gravity Adventures are offering multiple discounts during the festival weekend and to anyone who shows a Banff ticket stub.

The arrival of world-class climber Alex Honnold and celebrated author and

Photo Courtesy of Jimmy Chin

adventurer David Roberts will be the center of the festival celebrations.

Honnold and Roberts are promoting their new book “Alone on the Wall,” an account of Honnold’s seven most astonishing climbing achievements, according to the book’s press release.

“David Roberts is an incredible climber and mountaineer, and he’s also got around 25 or 30 books and is in the upper echelons of adventure writing,” Campbell said. “And Alex, he’s one of the biggest names in the outdoor world.”

Having Honnold and Roberts in Boone for the festival is huge and unexpected, Campbell said, since the guests’ appearance was only secured a few weeks ago.

The Richard T. Barker Friends of the Library group, which works to enhance the Belk Library’s resources and sponsor various literature events, is largely responsible for bringing the pair to Boone. The group got in touch with the publisher of “Alone on the Wall” and is taking care of Honnold’s and Roberts’ travel expenses.

“It’s kind of crazy that we got them here,” Campbell said. “And the events with Honnold and Roberts are free and open to the public, so people who couldn’t get tickets can still experience what Banff is all about.”

Honnold and Roberts will be giving an informal talk about climbing at Footsloggers at 2 p.m. on Friday, followed by a book signing. A presentation entitled “Writing About Adventure – For a Living” will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Schaefer Center, with another book signing at 5:30 p.m.

“We wanted to try to do something really special for the 20th anniversary,” Campbell said. “The chance for someone to chat over at Footsloggers with literally one of the world’s top outdoor athletes, that’s pretty cool.”

A combination of Boone’s location, its citizens’ interest in the outdoors and an amazing facility in the Schaefer Center is what makes Boone a great place to host Banff, Campbell said.

Jeremy Barnes, a graduate accounting student, has been to Banff several times and said that what he enjoys most is the festival’s atmosphere.

“What always sticks with me and what I think the Boone community reacts to the most are the films about humanitarianism, making the world a better place,” Barnes said. “Some of those stories told through film are truly life changing.”

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S P O R T S

MAKING AMERICA HOME

BY JASON HUBER SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER

T

raveling 9,567 miles from her home in Queensland, Australia, to play college tennis at Appalachian State has been a whirlwind of change for App State freshman Taylor Bygrave.

Bygrave joins three current male Australian players with senior Oliver Casey from Melbourne, junior Jack Maddocks from Newcastle and sophomore Scott Webster from Swanbourne.

Coming out of high school ranked in the top 200 high school tennis players (No. 146) in Australia, No. 7 in Queensland in her age bracket and a four-time regional selection, Bygrave did not have the same experience that most American high school athletes receive.

“We do not have tennis in high school but we try out one day a year and there is one tournament which is all the tennis for the year,” Bygrave said.

Coached by her parents Trish and Rob, both former Australian tennis players, Bygrave wanted to do something her parents never had the opportunity to do: play in the U.S. “Basically the goal was to get to the U.S.,” Bygrave said. “We don’t have tennis in colleges so you either have to play and don’t go to school or go to school and don’t play.”

Bygrave's dream became reality when she accepted an offer to become part of the 2015-16 recruiting class at Appalachian State. A recruiting class that was highly regarded, having received top 25 votes in various national recruiting polls.

After arriving in the U.S. for the first time last year, Bygrave had to sit out a season, which she said was tough, but it gave her a year to adjust to the culture in

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America.

“I think last year was better for me overall because I got my head around the U.S. a little bit before I started playing," Bygrave said. "It helped me ease into it a little more."

For Bygrave, coming to Boone was like entering a new world after growing up in a place with an average year round temperature of 85 degrees Fahrenheit with the motto “Beautiful one day, perfect the next.”

Bygrave said she didn’t expect some of the freezing temperatures that she experienced after she arrived in Boone.

“I like the weather in Queensland, and it is a lot warmer,” Bygrave said. “When I go back home in May, it is winter again, but it is still a lot warmer than Boone.”

Women’s tennis head coach Colin Crothers has been coaching for more than 18 years and looks at the 2015-16 class as one of his best ever. Crothers is especially excited about his acquisition from down under in Bygraves.

“She had a very good Australian ranking and she had some really nice tournaments right before she came over here,” Crothers said. “Australia is a good quality country in tennis.”

Crothers has recruited many foreign players through his time at App State but hasn’t had a player from Australia since 2010, when Olivia Stannard from Chittaway Point, Australia, was in her last season with the team.

“I am always happy to have an international player bring variety to the team,” Crothers said. “Taylor is a great doubles player and is in a tough spot at the No. 3 spot where she has done very

well.”

The Mountaineers most recently have been the international home for Olivia Isbey from New Zealand and Ellie Linsell from England. Isbey played one season in 2014 and Linsell played from 2010 to 2013. Since 2008-09, App State has seen seven international players including Bygrave.

It was during student orientation that Bygrave met another Australian tennis player, men's tennis player Scott Webster.

“She was very quiet when we met, but now she has become a lot more outgoing and we always chat with when we see each other on campus,” Webster said.

“She is starting to find her place and has settled down a lot.”

Webster, an Australian standout, finished with a 36-0 record in singles and doubles throughout his career in Australia. Webster also won the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year award last season with an 18-4 record in singles matches to go along with a 12-7 record in doubles.

Webster is still finding his place in the U.S. as well, but has had the opportunity to play with two other Aussies at App State. Casey and Maddocks were already a part of the team at App State when Webster arrived. His brother, also an Australian tennis player, is on the team at Queens College in New York.

“It's just comfortable knowing my brother has settled into America and helped me know I could live here,” Webster said.

Casey can relate to both Webster and Bygrave, recalling when he joined the team as the only Australian four years ago.

“When I came in, it was very surreal

being around people from a different country and everything was a bit different,” Casey said.

When Maddocks joined the team in 2014, he paired up with Casey as a strong doubles team matchup that finished 12-6 last season and was named to the Sun Belt all-second team.

“Ollie showed me around and it was easy having someone to talk to and learn the ropes from,” Maddocks said.

Acceptance of America, and Boone specifically, is crucial to making the adjustment from Australia, according to Casey.

“You just have to be willing to accept that Boone is different compared to where you are from, and you have to have a willingness to learn,” Casey said.

“I have learned so much since I have been here. You have to keep a positive frame of mind because it keeps getting better and better.”

For Bygrave, this season is more about performance rather than adjustment, having used her redshirt season to adjust to her new home. She has had the opportunity to learn from senior Mackenzie LaSure, competing in five doubles matches with her this season for a 3-2 record.

“She is playing a lot better just because she has been so open building her relationships with the team,” LaSure said. “It has been cool seeing her grow and I have loved playing with her.”

Joining a team thousands of miles from home can be hard to adjust and fully accept being part of a team. While LaSure is from the U.S., she knows how tough it can be to join a new team in college.

Halle Keighton

“Mackenzie knows a lot and has helped me with her experience," Bygrave said. "She has told me how to hit certain shots and how to help the team. It has been easy to play with her.”

LaSure played with anothrer foreign player, Linsell, when she was a freshman in doubles, but now as the upperclassmen, has embraced her leadership role with hopes that Bygrave will do the same.

“I can definitely see her filling that leadership role and speaking up about what she believes in,” LaSure said. “It is amazing how much she has opened up and been able to adjust so quickly.”

Aside from getting to know her teammates, LaSure said there are still some fun laughs as Bygrave adjusts to the culture. “We will have group messages and there are plenty of times she gets confused about some of the things we say.”

Yet, Bygrave has some of her own laughs about some of the things in America.

“Ordering food is so difficult and there is a lot of cheese here,” Bygrave said. “You can get canned cheese.”

Bygrave’s younger sister, Sophie, is currently a rising tennis star in Australia and has told the Burnett Times in an

interview that she wants to follow in Bygrave's footsteps.

“When I am home I sit with her a lot and try to help her with technique, and my mom has helped her as a coach also,” Bygrave said.

Despite Australia being home to some of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world, the culture at App State continues to attract players from Australia to the mountains of North Carolina.

“I feel App State is one of the fastest expanding universities on the east coast,” Casey said. “The faculty and connections you make are great and it’s a nice part of the country.”

Continuing to represent Australia and learn the new culture of America, Bygrave has already made a strong impact at App State and will only continue to grow as a tennis player and person.

Bygrave has helped lead her team to a 4-8 overall record and holds a 6-4 doubles record and 1-3 singles record.

“I just want her to continue and have fun and embrace these four years,” LaSure said. “I don’t want her to be afraid of speaking her mind.”

Taylor Bygrave, freshman, begins to serve the ball. She played a doubles match with her teammate, senior Mackenzie LaSure, on Saturday, Feb. 27. The game resulted in App State loosing 7-2 in a tie breaker match.

A MID-TERM LIKE THIS TAKES STRENGTH.

To learn more about Army ROTC at ASU, call 828-262-2994 or visit us online at rotc.appstate.edu

©2012. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved.

START STRONG with Army ROTC. You’ll develop leadership skills that allow you to lead in any career while earning money for your college tuition. And, when you graduate and complete Army ROTC, you’ll commission as an officer in the U.S. Army. Learn more at goarmy.com/rotc

S P O R T S

Day one of the Sunbelt 2016 Indoor Track & Field Championship. Junior cross country Tristin Van Ord stands in first place.

FAST TRACK TO SUCCESS

WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD WIN FIRST SUN BELT TITLE IN SCHOOL HISTORY

BY MONICA CRAWFORD SPORTS REPORTER The women’s track and field team at Appalachian State has been working hard all season long to build a legacy as a dominant team in the Sun Belt Conference.

That hard work has finally paid off with the Mountaineers capturing the first Sun Belt title in school history.

Both the men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in the Sun Belt Indoor Conference Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, on Feb. 23. The men took home fifth place, while the women finished first and earned App State’s first ever Sun Belt title. The team is hoping to use this win as a springboard into the outdoor season as well as the first step to building a legacy as a strong competitor in this new, more challenging conference, junior sprinter and jumper Darlene Girardeau said.

“I know our athletes want to work for trying to continue this new tradition – this new legacy – that we set in the Sun Belt,” John Weaver, head coach of the Mountaineers’ men’s and women’s track and field teams, said.

“Now that we know we can be competitive, we want to keep that tradition alive.”

The outdoor season for both the men’s and women’s teams begins on March 18, with the Wake Forest Invitational in Winston Salem. Weaver said that he hopes that both teams will use the women’s win at the Sun Belt Conference Championships as a confidence booster for the start of the outdoor season. “[The win] is going to give our athletes, women and men, a lot more confidence in the fact that they can compete, and that being at the top of the conference is not just a dream,” Weaver said. “It’s a reality.”

Weaver said that with the team’s sixth place finish last year, he knew the team was capable of winning

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the championship within the next couple of years, but it was the team itself that was confident that a win was within reach this year.

“On the Monday night team session, when I told them we were trying to come [to the championship] and be ready to be better than sixth place, hopefully second, and no worse third, one of the ladies on the team stepped up and said, ‘No, you know what coach, we want to win,’” Weaver said. “And by God, if they didn’t do it.”

The team won the title with a total of 101.5 points.

This was two points higher than the returning conference champs, Texas State. The Mountaineers were down by six points until the last event, which was the triple jump. Sophomores Kaytlyn Gill and Chelsey Hargrave finished third and fourth in the triple jump for the Mountaineers, which moved the team into first place for the title.

The Mountaineers were led by junior runner Tristin Van Ord, who has played a vital role in both the cross country and track and field teams at App State throughout her career as a Mountaineer. Van Ord led the team with 20 points from her two first place finishes in the 3,000-meter run and the 5,000-meter run. She was also named the Sun Belt’s Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year and now has three Sun Belt indoor titles.

These three titles are a few of the many accolades that Van Ord has earned throughout her time on the team. Including her seasons running cross country, Van Ord is a five-time all-conference athlete, is now a five-time Sun Belt Conference champion in indoor and outdoor track, and is a Division I scholar-athlete as named by the USTFCCA.

“I hope to leave a legacy of success at App State, but even more so, I hope to leave a legacy of passion, hard work and dedication,” Van Ord said. “No matter what the result is at the end of a race, nothing can take back the hard work and passion that is put into the sport.”

Girardeau also played a key role in the Mountaineers’s win being the only athlete to score in three different events at the championship. She earned 11 total points for the Mountaineers with a third place finish in the 60-meter dash, sixth place finish in the 200-meter dash and a seventh place finish in the long jump.

“There were a lot of multi [event finishers], and this is the first team where I really see a lot of diversity in a lot of different events,” Girardeau said. “But just knowing that I was the only one to finish with three wins is pretty awesome.”

Girardeau’s third place finish in the 60-meter dash earned her a spot in the USTAF Indoor Championships that took place on Friday March 11. At the championships, Girardeau competed against some of the best runners in the country, some of whom are 2016 Olympic hopefuls. Girardeau did not make it past her heat, but said that she was honored to have the opportunity to represent App State at the championship.

With the women’s track and field team coming off of a big win and with two of the athletes having such a strong end to their indoor season, the team seems to be in a good position for the beginning of the outdoor season, according to Van Ord. “This win is going to fuel the fire for the outdoor track season,” Van Ord said. “Now that we know that we can compete for the win, we’re going to put even more work in going into this outdoor season.”

Courtesy of Michael Wade/Sun Belt Conference

Forum Series Mae Jemison

“Exploring the Frontiers of Science and Human Potential” WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 7PM SCHAEFER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 733 RIVERS STREET, BOONE, NC Free and Open to the Public Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first woman of color in the world to go into space, served six years as a NASA astronaut and was NASA’s first science mission specialist performing experiments in material science, life science and human adaptation to weightlessness. Dr. Jemison is currently leading an initiative to assure the capability for human interstellar space travel to another star is possible within the next 100 years. Her technology consulting firm The Jemison Group, Inc. integrates the critical impact of socio-cultural issues when designing and implementing technologies, including the use of satellite technology for healthcare delivery in West Africa and solar dish Stirling engines for electricity generation in developing countries.

www.universityforum.appstate.edu w ww ww.univ ivers r ity tyforu r m.appstate.edu Sponsored by: University Forum Committee and University College with additional support from the Joan Askew Vail Endowment and the Office of Multicultural Student Development

Appalachian State University’s Faculty Senate presents:

The State of the State of North Carolina March 24 & March 31, 7pm Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts 733 Rivers Street, Boone, NC FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Faculty Senate presents these public lectures in advance of the 2016 election season to offer perspectives to the public about issues facing the citizens of North Carolina.

Sponsored by: Office of the Chancellor • Academic Affairs • Business Affairs Student Development • University Advancement • College of Arts & Sciences Beaver College of Health Sciences • Walker College of Business College of Fine & Applied Arts • Hayes School of Music Reich College of Education • University Libraries

John Hood MARCH 24 President, John William Pope Foundation

William Barber II MARCH 31 President, North Carolina NAACP

O P I N I O N

IT IS TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT DONALD TRUMP

Trump speaking at a rally in Hickory, North Carolina on Monday, March 14.

BY DYLAN DOW WEB MANAGER

T

he run was good, but the laughs need to come to an end.

We must shift our focus from what has commonly been viewed as a joke of a campaign to now seeing Donald Trump as a real and legitimate candidate. While we may wish to continue to write him off as something of a joke, standing no real chance at winning the Republican nomination, it would be foolish to continue to do so.

Some commentators, like HBO's John Oliver, have made an attempt at switching the joke narrative into a serious one.

Oliver has a knack and a successful track record for inciting change, but through the course of his recent show he made fun of Trump's hand size and his family’s old surname, Drumpf.

This does not bring anything of value to the conversation and pushes the narrative further away from where it needs to be. It continues to perpetuate the view many people still have of Trump as a joke candidate.

While some of the issues he brought up in his monologue were quite serious, the jokes he associated with Trump overshadow the important facts. While comedy, without a doubt, has a strong persuasive purpose in small doses, it can occasionally push things to the point where all people think about is the joke.

We cannot sit idly by and poke fun at

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a candidate that is very much a contender to be the next president of the United States of America.

Like him or not, agree with him or not, interested in politics or not – Trump and his campaign impacts every last one of us and it truly matters.

Though he claims otherwise, he is not a Republican. He is an outlier with no political experience who is dangerous, not to the political status quo many of us seek to change, but instead something worse: he is a threat to the basic human rights and freedoms our country stands for.

This is a candidate for president who supports the suppression of free speech and the arrest of anyone who disagrees with him. He is a candidate who supports violence against protesters at his rallies, even offering to pay the legal fees of anyone who gets fined for their violent outbursts against anyone with an opposing view.

He attracts backing from the Klu Klux Klan as well as supporters who will beat and threaten to kill dissenters if they show up at his rallies. Trump’s rhetoric is fueling a hatred only he can quench, yet he continually fails to speak out against the hate or recognize his contribution to it.

Supporters of Trump tend to say they like him because he is a “political outsid-

er,” someone who is different and not a career politician.

They like him because he is a business man capable of raising billions of dollars in revenue from a familial million dollar loan. Even with all of his faults, you cannot argue his success. For a man with a significant amount of business experience, it is understandable for people to believe he may be able to turn our economy into a booming business.

Still, questions remain: If elected president, will the United States be an example of the successful Trump Tower or “The Apprentice?” Or will it be a failure akin to Trump Steaks, Trump University, Trump Magazine or Trump Casinos?

On foreign policy, can we afford to have a president who claims he gets his military advice from talk shows on television? Can we afford to have a president lacking morals, willing to break international law by killing families and other civilians in order to get after ISIS? Can we afford to have a president who seems to believe diplomacy is simply strong-arming your way to what you want? Can we afford to have a president on one side of an argument one day and on the other side the next, effectively arguing with himself without ever acknowledging it? Can we afford to risk him as president of our country?

Absolutely not. Washington is not

Vegas or Atlantic City – much more than Trump's own money is at stake.

If Trump were to become president, we would not be looking at a tremendous return of America being great again like he promises. Instead, we would be looking at our country where the president does not know where to draw the line.

We would be looking at our country failing to live up to what the Founding Fathers outlined in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, ignoring freedom of speech and promoting brutality against those who speak out or believe differently.

We would be looking at our country never being taken seriously or respected on the world stage. Our country would look vastly different, but not in the way any sane individual would want it to.

Donald Trump is not going to "Make America Great Again." His antics and those of his supporters show he is a threat to what makes America great. This is not a man fit to be president, let alone one we can afford to continue to view as a joke as he walks his way into office.

Donald Trump is taking his campaign seriously, and so are his supporters.

It is time we take it seriously.

Dow, a senior international & comparative politics major from Morrisville, NC, is the web manager.

Photo courtesy of Robert Reed/Hickory Daily Record

SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS

App News is a service of the Division of Student Development. Email dycheab@appstate.edu.

Submissions should not exceed 100 words and must include the event title, date/time, location and cost, and a contact email, phone and/or URL. Announcements will be edited as needed and will run as space allows. Preference is given for events that are free or have a nominal cost.

A P P

N E W S

WHAT TO DO VISITING WRITERS SERIES The Hughlene Bostian Frank Spring Visiting Writers Series Events will take place with craft talks and readings in Plemmons Student Union.

Book sales and signings will follow each event.

• March 31 (The Juanita Tobin Memorial Reading): Poet and former Charlotte Observer books editor Dannye Romaine Powell, 3:304:45 p.m. Craft Talk: The Art and Craftiness of the Literary Interview; 7:30-8:30 p.m. Reading; Table Rock, PSU • April 7: Travel and Adventure Writing with Peter Fish and Leigh Ann Henion, 2-3:15 p.m.

Craft Talk: Travel Writing; 7:30-9 p.m. Reading; Table Rock, PSU • April 28 (with the Diversity Speakers Series): Poet, Memoirist, and Social Justice Activist Luis Rodriguez, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Craft Talk in Table Rock, PSU; 7:30-9 p.m. Reading in Blue Ridge Ballroom, PSU

GARMENT LECTURE Noi Supalai, an ex-garment worker and labor organizer from Bangkok, Thailand and Megan Currier, a national organizer for the United Students Against Sweatshops, will present “Undressing the Global Garment Industry: Sweatshop Labor and Justice” at 7 p.m. March 17, Price Lake Room, PSU. Noi Supalai worked in a garment factory in Thailand that makes clothes for such Western brands as Zara, H&M, GAP, Old Navy, NIKE and others. She helped to organize a labor union to try to raise wages and improve the safety and health conditions of the factory she worked in.

She will speak about her experiences and what needs to be done globally to address the deplor-

able conditions of the global garment industry.

The event is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, the offices of Global Studies, the QEP and Civic Engagement, and the departments of Anthropology, Geography and Planning, Sociology, and Sustainable Development.

THE WELLNESS WORKSHOPS The Counseling Center presents “The Wellness Workshops: Feelin’ Good in the Neighborhood!”

Space is limited. Reservations should be made at campbellha@appstate.edu. Extra credit slips will be made available. Visit counseling. appstate.edu or call 828-262-3180.

• Mental Health: What Stops Us from Talking about It and What You Can Do To Take Care of YOURS, 6-7 p.m. March 23, Price Lake, PSU • What Shape is Your Personality: Learn more about Yourself and How to Relate to Others, 4-5 p.m. April 6, Linn Cove, PSU • Let’s Get Out! Explore the Connection Between Positive Mental Health and Being Outdoors, 5-7 p.m., April 14, workshop will take place outside, email to register

on different aspects of the modern/colonial world.

days, room 306, Reich College of Education.

Email asmabt@appstate.edu.

SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS WEEK

STUDY ABROAD IN ITALY

The awareness week is scheduled for April 11-16. All are welcome to attend. Those interested in planning an event should fill out a project proposal as soon as possible. For information, email cavallaroe@appstate.edu.

FREE LEGAL ADVICE The Student Legal Clinic, in suite 324 in Plemmons Student Union, offers confidential advice, information, and referrals provided by a licensed attorney.

The attorney can meet with any currently enrolled Appalachian State student and can advise students on any issue that is not directly adverse to the university.

Make an appointment by calling 828-2628284. Information at legalclinic.appstate.edu.

NAVIGATING COLLEGE

Outdoor Programs and Recreation Management is presenting a study abroad program in Italy this summer.

A course in Commercial Recreation and Outdoor Recreation will be offered, along with immersion in the language, local cuisine, and distinct cultures found along the way.

The trip dates are June 7 to 27, and the cost of $4,100 covers everything.

To learn more, visit www.op.appstate.edu or email campbllrh@appstate.edu or sharaievskai@appstate.edu.

TUTORING CENTER OPEN Visit room 208 in D.D. Dougherty and fill out a tutor request form. The tutoring lab is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday. Call 828-262-3060 or email apputs@appstate.edu. For more information about the services offered, go to lap.appstate. edu/tutoring.

Walter Mignolo will present “Decolonial Humanities and Geopolitics of Knowledge: Dwelling, thinking, doing and being in the Borders” at 1 p.m. March 25, room 114, Belk Library.

Walter Mignolo is the Director of the Center for Global Studies and the Humanities, William H. Wannamaker Professor of Literature, and has appointments in Cultural Anthropology and Romance Literature at Duke University. He has published extensively on semiotics and literary theory, and has in the past years been working

The group will explore healthy lifestyle choices and the impact of alcohol and other drug use in college. Students are invited to the Wellness and Prevention Services office to join a mindfulness-based group focused on the impact of alcohol and other drug use while in college, incorporating resilience building, high risk substance use prevention and harm reduction strategies by way of stress reduction, healthy decision-making and group support to assist in personal growth and success as a college student.

The group will meet 5:30-7 p.m. Wednes-

THURSDAY, MARCH 17

FRIDAY, MARCH 18

SATURDAY, MARCH 19

SUNDAY, MARCH 20

“The Martian” Screening

“The Martian” Screening

“The Martian” Screening

Steely Pan Band Concert

7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

I.G. Greer $2

7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

I.G. Greer $2

7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

I.G. Greer $2

6 p.m.

Schaefer Center $8

“The Evolution and Meanings of Human Skin Color” Lecture with Dr. Nina G. Jablonski

“Edward Scissorhands” Screening

Talk and Book Signing with Rock Climbers David Roberts and Alex Honnold

Chris Moore Student Tuba Recital

7 p.m.

Room 114, Belk Library Free

PUBLIC LECTURE

7 p.m.

Greenbriar Theater, PSU $1

Diverse Abilities Awareness Field Day

2 p.m.

Schaefer Center Free

WRITING CENTER OPEN The University Writing Center (room 008 in Belk Library) will be open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, during spring semester.

Both appointments and walk-ins are accepted. Appointments can be made by calling 828262-3144 or by visiting writingcenter.appstate. edu.

8 p.m.

Recital Hall Free

noon Sanford Mall Rainbow Kitten Surprise Concert 9 p.m.

Legends $7-$10

MONDAY, MARCH 21 Last Day to Drop a Full Semester Class Last Day to Withdraw Without Academic Penalty

TUESDAY, MARCH 22

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23

THURSDAY, MARCH 24 How to Hike the Appalachian Trail Talk

Storytelling with Warren Doyle

Mental Health Discussion

7:30 p.m.

Whitewater Cafe Free

6 p.m.

Price Lake, PSU Free

Army Trombone Quartet Guest Recital

“A Walk in the Woods” Screening

8 p.m.

Recital Hall Free

7 p.m.

I.G. Greer Free

NouN Improv 8:30 p.m.

Legends $3

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” Screening 7 p.m.

Greenbriar Theater, PSU $1

6:30 p.m.

Whitewater Cafe Free

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