Thursday, March 27, 2014

Our State

Softball

Health & Nutrition

Turchin Center hosts launch party for Our State Magazine’s April issue, featuring Appalachia.

Junior catcher Sarah Warnock is finding ways to help lead her team to victory in conference play this season.

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

see PAGE 8

see PAGE 6

TheAppalachianOnline.com

The Appalachian 03.27.14

Appalachian State University’s student news source since 1934

APP STATE GETS RICH Vol. 88, No. 40

Carson Rich and Daniel Tassitino win SGA election with more than 50 percent of vote

by Gerrit Van Genderen News Reporter

T

he results of the 2014-15 Student Government Association elections were announced Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership in Plemmons Student Union.

Carson Rich and Daniel Tassitino were elected to serve as president and vice president of SGA after receiving just more than 50 percent of the total vote. Rich, a sophomore advertising major, and Tassitino, a sophomore international business major, received 1,156 of 2,286 votes.

The duo finished ahead of Adam Ezell and Patrick Sullivan, who received 32 percent of the vote, and Matthew Norman and Nicholas Smith, who received 17 percent of the vote.

“If it were not for the 50 percent plus votes that we got and the people in our campaign team, we wouldn’t be here,” Rich said. “It is not about us, it is about them and we are very excited.”

Rich and Tassitino’s platform includes diversity training for faculty and staff, ensuring Appalachian students continue to receive pell grants, incorporating more extensive SGA cabinet training and bringing a Center for Social Justice to campus. Rich said the center will be the hardest of his initial

SEE ELECTION PAGE 4

Maggie Cozens | The Appalachian

Sophomores Daniel Tassitino (left) and Carson Rich (right) react to winning the SGA election on Wednesday.

Central Dining Hall to be renamed after Alice Roess

by Gerrit Van Genderen News Reporter

Appalachian State University’s Central Dining Hall will be officially renamed Alice Roess Dining Hall on Thursday during a naming and dedication ceremony, held at the building at 4 p.m.

The building will be named after Appalachian Board of Trustees member Alice Roess, who is currently serving her fifth year as a trustee. Roess, who has three years left in her second

term as a trustee, said she is thrilled to be recognized by the university.

The Board of Trustees voted in a closed session that Roess did not participate in and informed her of the decision following the vote, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Susan Pettyjohn said.

“The university has a policy for naming,” said Pettyjohn. “The naming request is taken to the Chancellor’s Cabinet and once approved there, it is approved by the Advancement Committee of the Board of Trustees. The

full Board of Trustees then approves.”

Pettyjohn said she brought Roess’ name forward to the Chancellor’s Cabinet due to Roess being a generous donor to the university and the chancellor.

A resident of Blowing Rock, Roess serves the community in a variety of areas, including her roles as chair of the Blowing Rock Appearance Advisory Commission, member of the Blowing Rock Planning Board, General Events Chair of the Chestnut Ridge fundraisers, broker at Blow-

Bill passes that will put students on Boone Town Council committees

Maggie Cozens | The Appalachian

SGA president Dylan Russell discusses a bill that will put students on Boone Town Council committees during Tuesday’s SGA meeting. The bill was approved with 46 out of 47 votes.

by Nicole Caporaso News Reporter

Appalachian State University’s Student Government Association passed a bill Tuesday calling for members of SGA to have positions on Boone Town Council committees.

The bill was approved with 46 of 47 votes.

Students that wish to be on one of the committees will submit an application to SGA President and Director of External Affairs, according to the bill.

After application review, the applicants must then be approved once again by the SGA President, SGA Rules Committee and Senate.

“SGA Senator Adrian Thompson and I went and met with Andy Ball to see how we can improve the town of Boone’s relations with the campus, specifically to solicit student input,” SGA President Dylan Russell said. “The compromise that we have is that a student will serve on each of the town committees that the mayor appoints.”

If approved, the recommendations will be sent to Boone Mayor Andy Ball for confirmation.

Russell said he does not foresee Ball turning down any of the recommendations because he believes the mayor wants a strong relationship between Appalachian students and the town of Boone.

Appointed students will serve a one-year term on Town Council committees.

SEE BILL PAGE 4

ing Rock Investment Properties and member of the Watauga Humane Society Board.

In addition to her services in Blowing Rock, Roess was recently part of Appalachian’s chancellor search committee.

“It has been a pleasure [serving] that I’m sorry to see my second term seemingly evaporating before my very eyes, but [I] look forward to continuing to serve ASU in some other capacity for a very long time to come,” Roess said.

ASG passes resolutions

by Nicole Caporaso News Reporter

The Association of Student Governments passed three resolutions written by Appalachian State University Student Government Association President Dylan Russell on Saturday at Winston-Salem State University.

The three resolutions called for allowing campus identification cards to qualify as voter IDs, restoring an on-campus voting site at Appalachian and the use of iClickers to record votes at ASG meetings.

The Campus Identification Reform Act was passed unanimously and is a resolution that Russell said he has been working on all year.

The resolution calls for students’ college identification cards, such as AppCards for Appalachian students, to qualify as legitimate voter identification.

The bill was written as a response to a North Carolina General Assembly house bill, titled the Election Viva Reform Act, which Russell said is one of the most suppressive voter identification reform laws to pass in the entire country.

“When I did my research on this reform act, the first five versions of the bill allowed our college IDs to be

counted as legitimate forms of voter identification,” Russell said. “That makes sense because our campus IDs are state-issued. They come from state-funded institutions.”

Russell said the seventh version of the bill, the final version that passed, removed the clause allowing students to use their college identification cards as voter identification and that legislators provided no reasoning as to why the clause was removed.

The bill Russell wrote calls for the UNC system and Board of Governors to use a set of procedures and guidelines that adopt a uniform policy for what universities must display on college identification cards.

Russell said not to confuse his idea with a universal card for all students in the UNC system.

“Campus cards will remain the same, however, now we are trying to get policy where the card will have your birthdate, an expiration date for the card and your full name printed,” he said. “Students will also have to show more identification when you go get your card, so if the Board of Governors adopts this policy, you’ll have to show your passport, driver’s license or social security card or birth certificate to verify when initially receiving your AppCard.”

SEE ASG PAGE 4

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Thursday, March 27, 2014

IN PHOTOS: BEST OF MARCH

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

BEST PHOTOS OF MARCH

Paul Heckert | The Appalachian

Maggie Cozens | The Appalachian

Rachel Krauza | The Appalachian

Rachel Krauza | The Appalachian

Cara Croom | The Appalachian

Paul Heckert | The Appalachian

Rachel Krauza | The Appalachian

NEWS

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Two students chosen for research fellowships

by Nicole Caporaso News Reporter

Two Appalachian State University students have been chosen to participate in a summer fellowship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology laboratories in Boulder, Colo.

The two physics and astronomy majors, senior Matthew Childers and junior Nikolai Hesterberg, are two of only 22 applicants chosen nationwide.

The program, Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships, received more than 120 applications.

Both Childers and Hesterberg had to submit a resume, letters of recommendation, a personal cover letter and statement to the NIST for review.

Hesterberg will be testing the fundamental aspects of physics with scientists, while Childers will be evaluating the safety of laser pointers.

“The project I will be working on involves measuring and analyzing variations in power output from commercial lasers and I hope to utilize this opportunity to build my work ethic in the lab and gain ex-

perience with data analysis,” Childers said.

Childers said his motivation for applying was to get experience in a professional setting.

“I applied for the fellowship in order to get some great hands-on experience working with a government lab,” he said. “I thought it would be a great way to supplement my current education with more hands-on experience doing research in a professional laboratory setting.”

Hesterberg, who previously completed a fellowship with NIST last summer, said he enjoys conducting research and looks forward to his next fellowship opportunity.

“Last summer, I enjoyed a fellowship with NIST in Washington, D.C., and I was interested in working with NIST again,” he said. “The Boulder fellowship offers a great project working with atomic clocks.”

Hesterberg also added that he is excited to work in Boulder, Colo., because it is home to some of the best mountain biking trails in the world.

Tonya Coffey, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, was

3

Police arrest suspect for Mt. Mitchell larcenies

by Carl Blankenship Intern News Reporter

Photos courtesy Nikolai Hesterberg and Matt Childers

Nikolai Hesterberg

Matt Childers

in charge of submitted applications to the NIST. Coffey believes the experience Hesterberg and Childers will gain from their fellowships will offer a great opportunity.

“They get a chance to work on cutting-edge research at a national lab that is dedicated to scientific research,” she said.

“That is a great experience for anybody that wants to go to graduate school and go on to be a professional researcher.”

Both students credited their professors in the Department of Physics and Astronomy for helping them reach the level of success they are at today.

“Dr. Brad Conrad in the

physics department has written me countless recommendations and has been a great mentor throughout my academic career,” Hesterberg said. “I wouldn’t be here with out his guidance.”

Childers said his professors have been supportive during his undergraduate career.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to have been chosen to participate in the fellowship,” Childers said. “It will be an amazing experience, and I am highly looking forward to working with the faculty from the National Institute of Standards in Boulder this summer.”

Appalachian State University Police arrested senior criminal justice major Emily Hatcher in relation to the recent spree of larcenies from the Mt. Mitchell recreational facility locker rooms.

Hatcher was charged with three counts of misdemeanor larceny.

Hatcher is expected to be charged with further counts of larceny, according to University Police.

Investigations Commander Todd Corley said Hatcher was identified as a suspect by commonalities between her attendance at Mt. Mitchell and when the larcenies occurred. No video surveillance aided the investigation.

Hatcher is set to appear in the District Court of Boone on April 30.

Appalachian Quidditch to compete in World Cup

by Kaitlan Morehouse Intern News Reporter

Appalachian State University’s Quidditch Club, The Apparators, will play in its first World Cup competition in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on April 4 and 5.

The team sold shirts for $15 each in the Plemmons Student Union and is using Indiegogo, an online fundraising site, to raise money necessary to fund the trip.

Quidditch Club Commissioner Courtney Colwell said the team has used the site to raise money in the past, but never this successfully.

“We raised more this semester than last semester, especially on Indiegogo,” Colwell said.

The team raised $1,530 online and sold 17 of 30 shirts.

Team Captain Greg Astolfi said the squad has a 10-4 record this season and is currently ranked 44th in the world by the International Quidditch Association. Astolfi said because they were one of the top 80 teams in the Mid-Atlantic tournament, they qualified for the World Cup. “In order to be one of these 80 teams, a team must attend their regional qualifying meeting,” Astolfi

said.

Appalachian Quidditch placed ninth out of 22 teams that competed in the regional meeting in Leesburg, Va., in November. The Mid-Atlantic region consists of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Last year’s regional tournament had 11 spots open for the World Cup based on teams bids.

The Apparators will compete against 80 teams from across the nation.

Teams are split into pools of five on the first day. The three teams with the best records after playing the other four in their pool move on to the playin round.

The top 16 teams overall after pool play get a bye while the bottom 32 play in a single-elimination game until there are only 16 teams left to compete with the original top 16 in the round of 32.

“We definitely have the potential to make it to the round of 32,” Astolfi said.

The round of 32 starts a singleelimination bracket style play for four more rounds until one team remains.

Appalachian opens up tournament play against the Lone Star Quidditch Club from the University of Texas.

Live closer. Sleep Longer.

asurentals.com

828.262.1571

Photo Courtesy of Alex Gates

Sophomore beater Courtney Colwell heads down the field with a bludger during a Quidditch tournament last fall. The Appalachian Quidditch Club, The Apparators, will compete in the Quidditch World Cup at Myrtle Beach in April.

CLASSIFIEDADS Help Wanted Work during summer. May through September 1st. Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10AM6PM. Foscoe area. Sell chainsaw wood carvings. Contact: dms@gmail.com, 919-344-2819 or 919-936-5601

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NEWS

Thursday, March 27, 2014

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

ELECTION

ASG

focuses in office.

“I know we have to go through the space committee and actually find an area for that,” Rich said.

“It is difficult to create a whole other student-run center, but the Social Justice Center is definitely a long-term goal within our term.”

The winner was required to have 50 percent of the votes, plus one vote. The elected president and vice president must be at least juniors in standing at the time of inauguration, have a 2.5 GPA throughout their terms and have attended Appalachian the previous fall and spring semesters.

Voting was open March 19 through 26, open to all students via Appalnet.

A transition dinner will

Leigh Whittaker, current Student Body President of UNC Asheville and next year’s Senior Vice President of ASG, said she does not agree with the voting barriers to students and that she commends Russell’s work with ASG. “While I do not believe that voter fraud is a significant issue in this state, nor do I agree with the notion of additional barriers to executing the most fundamental right of democracy, I wholeheartedly commend the efforts of President Russell for working within the political measures we are presented with and actively advocating on the behalf of students,” she said.

The Restore Early Voting to Campus Act calls on the North Carolina Board of Elections to overturn the decision by the Watauga County BOE to remove early voting sites from Appalachian’s campus, Russell said. This resolution was also unanimously passed by the delegates of ASG. “This calls on the State Board of Elections to reconsider and repeal the Watauga County Board of Election’s decision to move early voting off campus,” Russell said.

According to the bill, it is the responsibility of the North Carolina BOE to maintain fair and lawful elections.

FROM PAGE 1

FROM PAGE 1

Ashley Spencer | The Appalachian

be held May 5, marking the date Rich and Tassitino will be officially inaugurated, said SGA Director of Elections Marissa Pannell.

“This is going to be a new year for Appalachian.

When I say that, I don’t just mean a new year, but

BILL

FROM PAGE 1 “When [Russell] and I met with Mayor Ball, this is exactly the process that he recommended to us,” said Adrian Thompson, SGA senator for Cone Residence Hall. “He also said it is the perfect time to do this because the town council is very pro-Appalachian.”

we have a new chancellor, we are moving to the Sun Belt [Conference] and we are going to be getting a new basketball coach,” Rich said. “There are going to be some changes and we are ready to embrace them and uphold the Appalachian way.”

Ball said he is currently working with the town council to ensure that a spot is available on each of the 14 committees.

“My goal is to have a spot on every committee be reserved for a student by the next academic year,” Ball said.

Ball also said that he believes that having students fulfill these positions will only strengthen an already strong relationship between the Town of Boone and the university.

“Additionally, I am extremely proud of the efforts that Dylan and his team are taking to recover the on-campus voting site on ASU’s campus,” Whittaker said.

“It is clear to me that Appalachian State’s Student Government is actively advocating for the voting rights of their campus community and for that ASU students should be proud.”

The iClicker resolution was also sponsored by Antonio Reid, the vice president of Academic Affairs for ASG. “There has been a lot of talk to reform the ASG to make it more a more effective organization,” Russell said. “There is no formal way of tracking votes, most votes are done by hand count.”

Russell said he hopes the iClickers will bring more accountability to members of ASG and he believes schools should know if their delegation voted for or against a bill.

“It is hard to keep track of what delegates are voting for,” Russell said. “So Antonio and I decided to bring in iClickers, like what we use at our SGA meetings, so now each of the voting delegates will get an iClicker tracked to their name.”

The resolution will go into effect next academic year.

The next and last ASG meeting for the academic year will be at Western Carolina University on April 4 and 5.

Affordable Care Act could put strain on university department budgets

by Laney Ruckstuhl Assistant News Editor

The Affordable Care Act could cost Appalachian State University about $1 million in spending to provide health insurance for non-permanent employees who work more than 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month, taking effect January 2015, Appalachian Budget Director Betsy Payne said.

The act will cost the UNC system in its entirety up to $47 million. Payne said the $1 million estimate could fluctuate, depending on what type

of medical plan is offered to the temporary employees.

Payne said the university has not yet received any information regarding whether or not they will receive additional funding from the state in order to make up for the new costs.

The budgets of individual departments would be strained by the Affordable Care Act if the state does not provide additional funding.

Although the departments would have discretion, Payne said she believes that jobs would be preserved as much as possible.

“It would be up to each individual [department] to determine how the area would handle it,” Payne said. “In all the years that I have been here, it has been uppermost to protect jobs, especially student jobs.”

The plan must be applied to adjunct faculty, students and temporary non-students who do not have health insurance.

Currently, about 1,475 employees at Appalachian will fall into this category.

But if an employee is already covered by their own health insurance, the university is not required to provide it.

“Right now, it is all over the

Mr. smith goes to Washington

Greenbriar Theater 3/26 & 3/28 Cartoons at 6:30 Show at 7pm apps.appstate.edu apps@appstate.edu films.appstate.edu

$1

board as to how it is going to end up,” Payne said. “It’s hard to gauge because it’s not effective until 2015.”

The UNC system’s budget has been declining steadily in recent years, so any additional costs need to be considered, she said.

The current 2014-15 budget proposal for the UNC system is $70 million less than was

expended for the 2013-14 fiscal year.

“A million dollars is a million dollars, that’s definitely something you don’t sneeze at,” Payne said.

Payne said that if the state does not allow the school additional funding, the university’s first action would be to use existing benefit funds to help cover the additional costs.

CORRECTION: The article “Roberson retires after 29 years of serving Appalachian” in the Tuesday, March 25 issue of The Appalachian misspelled Dave Robertson’s name.

The Appalachian apologizes for the error.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

5

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

App Submit announcements A service of the Division of Student Development. Email dycheab@appstate.edu at least two weeks in advance.

Entries can’t exceed 100 words and need to include the event title, date/time, location and cost, other pertinent information and a contact(s) (email, phone and/or URL).

Announcements will be edited as needed and will run as space allows.

HPV awareness program Learn how to protect yourself from the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), 7-8 p.m.

March 27, Linville Falls, Plemmons Student Union.

Extra credit slips will be provided. Sponsored by the Student Health Advisory Club.

For more information, visit wellness.appstate.edu.

Soccer tournament The 8th Annual People of the Planet Soccer Tournament will be held April 13 as part of the 13th Annual Diversity Celebration events in collaboration with Watauga High School on their turf fields.

Admission is free. For details/registration, go to www. cs.appstate.edu/soccer/. The deadline to register is March 28.

Adult teams will be comprised of faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members, and youth teams in several age groups will have an opportunity to play.

Film screening: “Neurotypical April marks Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, devoted to raising awareness about and understanding of Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The film, “Neurotypical,” will be screened twice in honor of this month: 10:30 a.m. March 29, Harvest House Performing Arts Center, 247 Boone Heights Drive; and 7 p.m.

April 1, room 114, Belk Library. Free and open to the public.

Poetry Sharing Circle

The event for transfer and non-traditional student creative writers will be held 5-6:30 p.m. March 31, 3rd floor faculty lounge, Sanford Hall. Bring a favorite poem or a short prose excerpt to share. Sponsored by the English Department, Creative Writing Concentration. Email weinbergsc@appstate.edu for more information.

An Evening with Soledad O’Brien 7 p.m. April 1, Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts; doors open at 6 p.m. The critically-acclaimed journalist has reported on breaking news from around the globe, including winning an Emmy for Crisis in Haiti in the category of Outstanding Live Coverage of a Current News Story Long Form.

The talk is co-sponsored by the Division of Academic Affairs, the Chancellor’s Commission on Diversity, the University Forum Committee and Multicultural Student Development.

Free and open to the public; tickets are not required but attendees are encouraged to arrive early. For more information, contact penaae@appstate.edu or 262-6158.

Call for sustainability grants The Appalachian State University Sustainability Council is calling for submissions for the 4th Annual Sustainable Arts Grants Awards. The primary goals of these grants will be to educate and raise awareness of sustainability in its many facets on campus.

Students, staff, faculty and administrators are eligible to apply for these grants. Student applications must include a faculty adviser willing to support the project.

All forms of art are acceptable, including 2-dimensional, digital, 3-dimensional and/or performance projects, not limited to the visual arts. Proposals are due March 31. Direct questions and send proposals to sustainability@appstate. edu or call 828-262-2659.

Criteria for the proposals in-

News clude: conveys the idea that all aspects of life are inter-dependent; inspires the audience to place greater value on health, justice and friendship; encourages the audience to be conscientious of sustainability on environmental, social justice or economic issues; was produced by a system with continuous effort to reduce waste and pollution; can motivate people and raise money for re-investment in the production of further “sustainable” works; and raises awareness and provides sustainability education to the ASU campus.

Diversity Celebration To be held 3-9 p.m. April 8, Plemmons Student Union. For more information, call 2626158. The multicultural festival features performing arts, craft workshops, educational and experiential exhibits by local and regional presenters and artisans, as well as ethnic foods from local chefs. The free event provides a safe environment for learning about others, encouraging a deeper exploration of differences, and an atmosphere that fosters inclusion and cultivates collaboration between the university and the community.

To view the schedule, go to www.celebration.appstate. edu. For more information, email multicultural@appstate.edu or call 262-6158.

Overdose Prevention Awareness Program Presented by the Student Wellness Center, ASU Police and Project Lazarus, 7-8 p.m. April 2, room 114, Belk Library Room. Learn more about opiod and prescription drug overdose prevention initiatives. For more information visit wellness.appstate.edu or email mcdevittkb@appstate. edu.

Environmental Humanities Symposium The all-day event begins at 9 a.m. April 4 in Table Rock, Plemmons Student Union.

The event features three keynote speakers, an interdisciplinary faculty panel, a closing roundtable discussion and a

reception. The keynote speakers are Dale Jamieson, professor of philosophy and environmental studies and affiliate professor of law at New York University; Phaedra Pezzullo, associate professor of rhetoric and public culture at Indiana University; and Mel Y. Chen, associate professor of gender and women’s studies at University of California Berkley.

The symposium is free and open to the public, but participants are asked to register for the event. To register, go to http://humanitiescouncil. appstate.edu/digital-humanities-symposium-registration.

For more information, go to http://humanitiescouncil.appstate.edu or email hallki@ appstate.edu.

Wellness workshops The Counseling Center presents “Feelin’ Good in the Neighborhood!” wellness workshop series. Extra credit slips will be made available.

For more information, call 262-3180 or go to counseling. appstate.edu.

• Getting Out of the Happiness Trap: How to Accept Disappointment in the Pursuit of Your Happy, 3-4 p.m. April 9, New River Room, Plemmons Student Union • Screening of Lifetime’s “Call Me Crazy” Film with Brittany Snow & Love is Louder, 6-8:30 p.m. April 28, Beacon Heights Room, Plemmons Student Union Sustainability Film Series Presented by the Office of Sustainability and the Department of Geology, and sponsored by Appalachian Popular Programming Society, Belk Library, Department of Geology and sustain Appalachian, the series aims to raise awareness of current environmental, social and economic issues.

Most films begin at 7 p.m. in I.G. Greer Auditorium and each will be followed by a brief panel discussion with experts from the sustainability field represented in each film.

• A Place at the Table, April 29: Tells the story of three Americans who main-

tain their dignity even as they struggle just to eat.

Tax assistance Students, staff and faculty may use myfreetaxes.com/ appstate to prepare and e-file federal and state income tax returns.

In addition, App is providing IRS-sponsored Facilitated Self-Assistance (FSA), in which trained volunteers will be available to guide users through the process and answer questions. In-person assistance will be available 5-7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, through April 15 (closed during spring break) in room 21014 of Raley Hall.

No appointment is necessary.

For questions about this service, call 262-6228 or email hofmannma@appstate. edu. Additional communitywide free tax assistance with the VITA program is available (by appointment only) at the following locations: Watauga County Public Library, 3-6 p.m. Fridays, and 9 a.m.-noon Saturdays; Watauga County Senior Center, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays; and Western Watauga Community Center on Mondays.

Move-in day Volunteers are needed Aug. 15 to assist with move-in day for the class of 2018. Students will arrive from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., and volunteers are needed to assist students in moving their belongings into their residence hall rooms. Volunteers are also needed for upperclassmen move-in between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Aug. 16.

Appalachian will provide all volunteers with a T-shirt. As a special incentive to organizations and groups, the committee is offering organizations with 15 or more volunteers to have their organization/group name or logo printed on the T-shirt. The deadline for volunteer registration is June 13 to have the organization name printed on the T-shirt.

Sign up to volunteer on our website: http://housing.appstate.edu/volunteer. For more information, email jordansn@ appstate.edu.

March/April

sunday

monday 23

tuesday 24

wednesday 25

Global Film Series: New Muslim Cool, 5 p.m., room 114, Belk Library, free

26 Aaron Ames & Jonathan Asbell Faculty Piano Recital, 6 p.m., Rosen Concert Hall, free

friday

thursday 27

saturday 28

“Frozen” screening, 7 p.m., I.G. Greer, $1

Joe Murphy Documentary Film Festival: “Doc and Merle” and Visiting Writers selected shorts, Series: Bruce Weigl, 6:30 p.m., room 124, Global Film Series: 2 p.m. craft talk, College of Educa“Girl Rising,” 7 p.m., “Mr. Smith Goes 7:30 p.m. reading, tion Building, free I.G. Greer, free to Washington” Table Rock Room, screening, 7 p.m., PSU, free “Frozen” screening, Joby Bell/Faculty Greenbriar, $1 7 p.m., I.G. Greer, $1 Organ Concert, 8 Stefan Czermak p.m., Rosen Concert NOUN perforguest violin concert, “Mr. Smith Goes Hall, free mance, 8 p.m., 8 p.m., Rosen Conto Washington” Legends, $3 cert Hall, free screening, 7 p.m., “The Land Sustains Greenbriar, $1 Us” screening, 12:30 “Countdown to Still Life Painting: p.m., Greenbriar, Zero: A World With- Painting with the left Equality in Action PSU, part of Social out Nuclear Weap- side of your brain, 7 Conference, March Justice Week ons” screening, 5 p.m., Turchin Center, 28-30, PSU, $20 p.m., Belk Library free for Appalachian 114, part of Social students Justice Week

30 Blazing Bassoons concert, 4 p.m., Rosen Concert Hall, free

31

1 Single Stream Recycling Education, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Central Dining Hall, Rivers Street Cafe

2 Conspirator concert, 9 p.m., Legends, $12-$15 “Gremlins” screening, 7 p.m., Greenbriar, $1

AS-U-MEDITATE campus-wide meditation, 4:45 p.m., Overdose PrevenParkway Ballroom, tion Awareness, PSU, free 7 p.m., room 114, Belk Library, free Faculty Recital Series: The Music of Scott Meister, 8 p.m., Rosen Concert Hall, free An Evening with Soledad O’Brien, 7 p.m., Schaefer Center, free and open to the public

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4

Montana Repertory Theatre: “The Miracle Worker,” 8 p.m., Schaefer Center, $10-$20

Spring Exhibition Celebration, 6 p.m., Turchin Center, free

Artist Lecture with Ivan Fortushniak, 6 p.m., Turchin Center, free

Contra Dance ft.

Hard Cider & caller Valerie Hilbert, 8 p.m., Legends, $3$5

29 The Joe Murphy Documentary Film Festival: “Auto Bond,” “Shoes Required,” and selected shorts, 2:30 p.m.; “Slow Food: Fast Times” and selected shorts, 7:30 p.m.; room 124, College of Education Building, free “Frozen” screening, 7 p.m., I.G. Greer, $1

Healing Arts Yoga, 10:30 a.m., Turchin Center, $10/session, $5/students

5 “Thor: The Dark World” screening, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., I.G. Greer, $1

“Thor: The Dark World” screening, 7 Healing Arts Yoga, Mipso concert, 9 p.m., Legends, $4-$6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., 10:30 a.m., Turchin I.G. Greer, $1 Center, $10/ses“Thor: The Dark sion, $5/students World” screening, 7 “Gremlins” screenp.m. and 9:30 p.m., ing, 7 p.m., Greenbriar, $1 I.G. Greer, $1

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A&E

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Local

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Our State Magazine to feature Appalachia in April issue

by Lovey Cooper Senior A&E Reporter

O

ur State Magazine will hold a launch party for its April issue at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on Friday.

The issue includes a photo essay highlighting both the Turchin Center and the featured winners of the 11th annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition.

Elizabeth Hudson, editor-inchief of Our State Magazine, said the featured photo essay strives to answer the question “What is Appalachia?” Hudson said that Our State Magazine has done several stories about Boone and Appalachia, which she sees as important to the state due to its unique physical and cultural landscape.

The idea to collaborate with the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition came about a year ago when Hudson and Katie Saintsing, assistant editor for Our State Magazine, visited Boone for a meeting and caught last year’s competition showcase in the Turchin Center.

“Katie and I were blown away by the quality of the photography and by the depth of subject matter,” Hudson said. “We knew that we wanted to find a way to showcase the next year’s winners in the pages of Our State.”

The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition is a

Rachel Krauza | The Appalachian

The 11th annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition will be featured at a launch party for the April issue of Our State Magazine at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. The competition features work from the southern Appalachian region.

yearly competition open to amateur and professional photographers ages 13 and up, offering a number of categories and changing themes each year.

Rich Campbell, associate director of Outdoor Programs at Appalachian State University, said that while the competition was originally conceived as a companion to the annual screenings of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, it has grown

into one of the region’s most prestigious photography competitions. It is now the mostvisited annual collection in the gallery.

Campbell said he is honored to have a publication of such reputation pick up on the competition.

“The coverage provided by Our State Magazine in many ways validates this [popularity],” he said.

On Stage

Musical Theatre Ensemble presents ‘Spring Awakening’

by Kelsey Hamm Intern A&E Reporter

The Appalachian Musical Theatre Ensemble will perform the Tony Awardwinning musical “Spring Awakening” Friday and Saturday in the Blue Ridge Ballroom of Plemmons Student Union.

The musical takes place in Germany in the 1890s and focuses on young people breaking out of their culture’s conservative constraints, said Kellie Letner, director and theatre performance major.

“Spring Awakening is the perfect musical for this time in our society,” Letner said. “It is all about breaking out of the conformity of the expectations and limitations placed on us, and becoming our own people.”

Musical Director and senior music education major Dominique Atwater said that one of the musical’s most prominent themes is how a young person’s developing sexuality is heavily influenced by societal pressures and expectations.

“Everyone has been through that young awkward stage,” Atwater said.

“That’s why this play is so relatable.”

Despite the setting of “Spring Awakening,” freshman computer science major and cast member Marc Arrambide said the play is still accessible to today’s audience. The show covers topics such as teen depression, teen suicide and domestic violence, issues which Arrambide

believes are necessary to address.

“We need people to know that these things still happen and that we have greater support now,” Arrambide said.

“We still face these issues today, but we’re not as constricted as we were in the past. It’s easier for us to address these topics.”

Arrambide, who plays the character Otto Lammermeier, said that performing the more intimate parts of the play was not easy for him at first. The show requires interactions between the characters that might make some feel uncomfortable in a public context.

Various scenes depict onstage sex, masturbation and sexual abuse. Though no scenes are explicitly pornographic, the production involves partial nudity, Arrambide said. “[The cast] allowed ourselves to become comfortable with each other,” Arrambide said. “It was definitely awakened for people who didn’t know each other. You have to put yourself in a position where you have trust and faith in the other person.”

The play will be restricted to viewers of ages 18 and up only. Attendees must have a form of ID with them to gain entry to the show due to mature subject matter and partial nudity.

Each showing starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 for students in advance or $10 for the general public and at the door.

Megan Stage, marketing and public relations manager for the Turchin Center, said the competition showcases unique qualities of the Appalachian Mountains.

“It tells our story of the people, places and wildlife that make up this beautiful region,” she said.

Patrons will receive a complimentary copy of the April issue, have the opportunity to enter Our State Store product

giveaways, explore the museum with guided tours of the exhibits and meet with Hudson.

“Our photo essay is just a taste of the extraordinary work showcased at the Turchin Center,” Katherine Bonney, marketing associate for Our State Magazine, said.

The launch party takes place Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. in the galleries of the Turchin Center.

Admission is free.

On Stage

Joe Murphy’s documentaries to be featured in film festival

Paul Heckert | The Appalachian

Professor of curriculum and instruction Joe Murphy (right) is probed with questions by practitioner-in-residence of curriculum and instruction Jeff Goodman (left) during a video production class last spring. Murphy, who will retire in May, has been with Appalachian for 39 years and spent 10 years as the Teaching Fellows adviser. The 2014 Joe Murphy Documentary Film Festival will kick off Friday at 6:30 p.m. with "Doc and Merle," a film about the late musicians Doc and Merle Watson. Student work and other films by Murphy will be shown at 2:30 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The screenings will take place in Reich College of Education Building in Room 124 and admission is free.

Review

Latest Disney offering succeeds through genuine relationships The universal appeal of animated Disney features spans generations.

Where our parents grew up with Dumbo, Bambi and Peter Pan, we spent at least part of our formative years with Mulan, Aladdin and Simba.

That isn’t to excuse Disney from the occasional misstep – cultural misappropriations come to mind, as does a sometimesheavy reliance on formula.

But at their heart, Disney films are known for not only their positive messages, but for their incorporation of memorable tunes and benchmark-setting animation. “Frozen” fits tidily into this description.

There’s the protagonist – in this case a bubbly princess named Anna – who wants nothing more than for her icy sister Elsa to open up to her.

Then there’s the love interest, Kristoff, who at first seems an unfit match due to his unrefined manners. There’s the love interest’s animal, Sven the Reindeer, who is pretty much a carbon copy of Flynn Ryder’s own companion beast in 2010’s “Tangled.”

There’s the hilariously exaggerated sidekick Olaf, an animated snowman who thinks he wants to experience summer.

In short, all the expected pieces are in place. What sets “Frozen” apart is not its components, but rather its fresh approach in depicting relationships.

“Frozen” explores the strains and joys of sisterhood through the lens of individual maturation.

Elsa and Anna are set up as stock character twins. Elsa’s introversion is characterized by

white-blonde hair, while shimmering brunette locks represent Anna’s extroversion. Yet, as the film develops, we get to see an organic relationship bloom.

For once, here’s a depiction of “true” love that actually isn’t about a singular, fated partner.

Instead, Anna’s longing for the familial love of her sister is what takes center stage. Her partnering with Kristoff stems from an at-first-platonic friendship and genuine caring.

Additionally, the Broadwayinspired musical numbers are at least on par with what we’ve come to expect. In other words, they stand head-and-shoulders above every other contemporary musical film out there.

Tony Award winner Idina Menzel shows off her chops as Elsa in the soaring, if overwrought, “Let It Go,” and Kris-

ten Bell is an effortless Anna.

Josh Gad as Olaf holds up fine, too, although he comes nowhere close to the genius of Robin Willams’ Genie or Eddie Murphy’s Mushu.

The animation is mostly gorgeous, although Olaf sticks out and most of the film seems to inexplicably be set at night.

Despite minor qualms, “Frozen” rates as another Disney classic. The filmmakers shot for more modern and candid portrayals of relationships, despite the Hans Christian Anderseninspired fairytale world.

Though it depends on a few overdone animation tropes, “Frozen” succeeds as an emotionally keen and pleasantly entertaining canonical offering.

- Sam Lineberger, A&E Reporter

Frozen

Opinion The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Editorial Cartoon

7

Staff Opinion

Rebranding alone will not fix NC’s problems Kevin Griffin Opinion Writer

Andrew Cox | Editorial Cartoonist

Staff Opinion

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s just a drone flying over NC Dewey Mullis Opinion Writer

Drones have become a hot topic as of late, especially because government surveillance and spying has become controversial both at home and abroad.

But the use of drones for agricultural, surveying, disaster response, suspect and offender tracking purposes could become a reality in North Carolina.

Chief Information Officer Chris Estes said he requested $215,000 to be included in the state’s budget to pay for an ex-

ecutive director and data analyst for an Unmanned Aircraft System board, according to the News & Observer.

North Carolina law prohibits any state or local government agency from using drones without being given special permission from the state. North Carolina State University is currently the only entity in the state with such permission.

The opportunity that the use of drones presents could be exponential and is certainly worth looking into.

There is certainly an incredible financial opportunity. Tasks for which aircraft are usually responsible, such as crop surveillance and disaster response, could be replaced with UASs. And while these aircrafts are priced in the hundreds of thou-

sands and possibly millions of dollars, drones can do the job for between $30,000 and $50,000, according to USA Today.

And while the state would save money by switching to the usage of drones, North Carolina also has the opportunity to bring the UAS industry within its borders. The Federal Aviation Administration said drone technologies had the potential to create more than 100,000 jobs in the United States, according to USA Today.

It all sounds great so far. But if the drone debate leads to an acceptance of the expanding technology, the state of North Carolina will bear a burden, which is making sure that drones are not at all in the hands of law enforcement agencies or are used

for purposes such as surveillance of offenders, suspects or private lives of private citizens.

Privacy and due process are already weakening following the explosion of social media and networking, alleged spying by the government and a general uneasiness about not knowing who knows what. North Carolina cannot afford to allow even the slightest possibility that legal rights and reputations would be hindered, infringed upon or even allegedly harmed.

The financial benefits and the possibility of being an industry in the state are too good to be jeopardized by a breach in rights.

Mullis, a junior criminal justice major from Wallburg, is an opinion writer.

Editorial Cartoon

Bridget Mundy | Editorial Cartoonist

The Appalachian The Editorial Board

MICHAEL BRAGG Editor-in-Chief

JOSHUA FARMER Managing Editor

COLIN MOORE A&E Editor

CORY SPIERS Sports Editor

LANEY RUCKSTUHL Assistant News Editor

CHELSEY FISHER

Contact Information EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (828) 262-6149 BUSINESS OFFICE (828) 262-2157

Chief Copy Editor

MALIK RAHILI

Visual Managing Editor

PAUL HECKERT Photo Editor

JACKSON HELMS Video Editor

MAGGIE COZENS

Assistant Photo Editor

Associated Collegiate Press

The Appalachian reserves the right to decline publication of any letter and to edit letters for the purpose of clarity and space.

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 readers’ opinions; to be a champion for student, faculty, staff and community interests; and to remain independent, exercise and ensure its First Amendment rights.

North Carolina has received no shortage of bad publicity lately.

From the New York Times’ July 2013 editorial speaking of “the decline of North Carolina” to the national coverage of the coal ash spill, The Tar Heel State has suffered negative attention nationally.

To address the problem of the state’s image, the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with the North Carolina Department of Commerce is embarking on a rebranding campaign for the state.

Not all details about the project have been released, but the campaign would involve seeking input from citizens through forums and by hosting contests where they can express what North Carolina means to them.

The state certainly should work to repair its image, but we also must make sure that we work to address the things that have brought so much embarrassment to the state.

The problem is not just one of perception, but of reality.

For at least the past year, we have seen dysfunctional government in the state, something that in no way makes us attractive to outsiders.

North Carolina ranks No. 46 in teacher pay, according to the National Education Association. The revelation by the Associated Press that the State Department of Environment and Natural Resources blocked lawsuits over coal ash ponds has exposed potential corruption within Duke Energy.

Consider this in conjunction with the questionable comments and actions of Gov. Pat McCrory and we can get an idea of why perception of North Carolina has declined.

These problems are not just bad for North Carolina’s image, but for its people as well. To counteract these problems, serious substantive actions need to be taken, actions that go beyond just a rebranding campaign.

I do not totally object to the new branding campaign. It could be a part of a broader strategy to improve the state.

Taking the impressions of citizens into account could give an outlet to public opinion, which could in turn push the state to make the changes that are really needed and to bring what is best in North Carolina. But if the rebranding campaign proves to be nothing more than an attempt to gloss over issues, then it will be nothing more than a dishonest charade that does nothing for the state.

Rebranding can have its place, but to be truly effective it must be accompanied by real, substantive solutions.

Griffin, a sophomore journalism major from Madison, is an opinion writer.

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. 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.

Sports 8

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Softball

Warnock continues to lead Appalachian softball to success

by Kaitlyn Thruston

“She’s always positive, picks us up when everyone else is down and she’s a great leader.”

With her senior season quickly approaching, Warnock wants to continue her leadership roles on the team.

“I lead by example on the field and off the field in the classroom,” Warnock said.

“I’m always there for my girls, and I plan to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”

Warnock said she wants to focus on continuing her success this season and helping the team improve in conference play.

The Mountaineers will face Samford on Saturday in another three-game conference series, and for Warnock, she said her eyes remain on the final objective.

“My goal is to lead the team and these girls to another ring,” Warnock said. “For me personally, it’s just step in the box, see the ball and hit the ball.”

Senior Sports Reporter

J

unior catcher Sarah Warnock has proven to be one of Appalachian State softballs’ most valuable players early in the season.

During the 2014 campaign, Warnock has been on fire, compiling a .338 batting average that ranks her second on the team behind only junior second baseman Cynthia Gomez.

Additionally, Warnock is second on the team in RBIs with nine and has blasted a teamhigh three home runs.

Warnock has proven to be durable as well as skilled as she has started 25 of App State’s 27 games this season. Only junior center fielder Ashley Seering has more starts with 26.

Teammates and coaches are quick to praise the catcher for her hard work ethic both on and off the diamond.

Cory Spiers | The Appalachian

Junior catcher Sarah Warnock swings at a pitch during a home game against Western Carolina on Sunday afternoon. The Mountaineers won the series against the Catamounts 2-1.

“Warnock is kind of the backbone of our team and our team captain,” head coach Shae Wesley said.

Wesley said Warnock excels at multiple aspects of the game, making her a valuable player.

“Offensively she’s had

a great season, but more importantly is defensively and how she handles our pitchers,” Wesley said.

Being a catcher comes with great responsibility because they are able to see the field from a unique vantage point.

This allows Warnock to

help her teammates play better defense by working closely with pitchers to control the pace of the game. “[Warnock] is a great leader on this team and a great leader behind the plate and doing a great job in the leadoff spot,”

senior first baseman Lindsay Loudermilk said.

Loudermilk and Warnock have been playing together for the past two years and have established a friendship.

“She’s been a leader on this team since she’s been here,” Loudermilk said.

Soccer

Women’s team focuses on spring games

by Jess Lyons Sports Reporter

Appalachian State women’s soccer looks to improve its conference play with its advance into the Sun Belt Conference in the 2014 fall season.

The Mountaineers finished last season with an overall record of 8-7-4 and lost in the first round of the SoCon tournament to Samford.

The team has lost six seniors to graduation and is currently using the spring season to adjust to the roster change. One of those seniors is midfielder Sam Neill, who scored seven goals for the Mountaineers this past season.

“Two of the seniors that we did lose played really key roles, so we’re trying to figure out how we play without them,” freshman defender Jacklyn Nieradka said.

As far as traveling goes, the team will be going in different directions from last year, but head coach Sarah Strickland is not concerned about

her team adjusting to the new schedule. The Mountaineers will also be playing many teams they have never played in the new conference.

“We’re not really traveling much more than we already have,” Strickland said. “We flew [to some games] this year, so we got that experience out of the way. So it’s definitely something we’re all looking forward to.”

The Mountaineers will also be adding 11 freshmen for its first Sun Belt recruiting class.

Samantha Syles, a freshman goalkeeper, was picked up for the spring season after she graduated high school early. But the Mountaineers will not have the other 10 new recruits fully until the fall preseason schedule begins.

“Preseason, we usually get here about two weeks before the semester starts to meet everyone and see how well we blend together,” sophomore goalkeeper Megan Roberson said. “I don’t think our training will change much. We did pretty well last year, and

Paul Heckert | The Appalachian

Sophomore forward Samantha Childress (right) dribbles around a Mars Hill defender in the opening game of Appalachian State’s spring schedule. The Mountaineers won 6-0.

even though we have room to improve, it will be about the same even with so many new players.”

Strickland and Roberson both said the spring season is a chance for the team to

come together without their graduating seniors or its incoming freshmen.

The Mountaineers will play together for three more spring games before returning for preseason training in

the fall where it will play with the new Sun Belt recruits.

App State will play their next spring game April 6 against UNC Charlotte in Winston-Salem. The game will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Football

Wide receivers stepping up in spring, providing leadership

Cory Spiers | The Appalachian

Junior wide receiver Simms McElfresh fights off a group of tacklers during a full-contact spring scrimmage last Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

by Nick Joyner Senior Sports Reporter

As the next season approaches for the Appalachian State football team, the reality is that much of the core offense will return with

one exception: the wide receiver position.

Senior leaders Andrew Peacock and Tony Washington are gone, along with former preseason All-American Sean Price, who was dismissed from the team

last season.

With all of the departure amongst the group, the wide receiver position was heavily addressed in the 2014 recruiting class. Six freshmen will be arriving this summer to battle

for starting spots before App State kicks off their season at Michigan on Aug. 30.

Entering his third season as App State’s wide receivers coach, Justin Stepp said he knows replacing all of that experience will be a challenge. As the beginning of the next season approaches, Stepp wants to see some of the older players step up as leaders.

“I told those guys it all starts with them,” Stepp said. “These young kids look at their body language and everything they do out here. If they are not setting an example, how do they expect these young kids to come out and play hard?”

Junior wide receiver Malachi Jones took on a much bigger role early into the 2013 campaign once Price was dismissed from the team. Being

a leader is something Jones is not shying away from.

“It’s something I’ve looked forward to since my arrival in Boone,” Jones said. “I’ve been waiting for this role since I was a freshman, and I look to take it headstrong and pursue it fully, to be the leader that this receiving group needs.”

Another returnee, junior wide receiver Simms McElfresh is adjusting to the life as one of the leaders of the receivers.

“I’ve sat behind Peacock and Tony and got to learn from them for three years,” McElfresh said. “So I have seen how to handle myself and how to approach every situation that comes with being one of the older guys.”

Stepp said the younger players will rely on the upperclassmen to guide them next season.

“I’ve told these kids we’ve got here now that they need to make sure that they have a good spring and to do everything they can to impress us and show us that they can play,” Stepp said.

Although the experience has departed, Jones said the pace in spring practices has picked up.

“We’re progressing every day, learning new things and getting adjusted to the game,” he said. “We’re a lot faster now, a lot more up-tempo. We went from one of the older experienced groups to one of the youngest and most inexperienced.”

The Mountaineers will get a chance to showcase the results of their hard work April 4 in the annual Spring Game at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

The game will kick off at 7 p.m.

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

SPORTS

Thursday, March 27, 2014

9

Are collegiate athletes getting schooled in sportsmanship?

Cory Spiers Sports Editor

A postgame scuffle that occurred Feb. 27 between collegiate basketball players from San Diego State and University of New Mexico has attracted a good deal of media attention over the past month, including attention from Matt Giles of NBC Sports.

Giles broke down the events in a column published Feb. 25, saying that teams shouldn’t be forced to shake hands after a game.

His solution: allow players time to clear their mind in the locker room, and have a postgame show of sportsmanship in the tunnel.

“Handshake lines aren’t good,” New Mexico head basketball coach Craig Neal said in an interview with NBC Sports. “When competitive people go to war, two competitive teams go to war - they’re not nice.”

On the surface, this all seems fine for us at Appalachian State. The postgame scrum happened in the Mountain West Conference, a far cry from affecting the SoCon, or even the Sun Belt, where App State will play next season.

That is, it was fine until Dean Keener, a former Davidson basketball player and now radio commentator and bi-weekly columnist for SoCon Sports, took notice and mentioned his stance on postgame handshakes in his SoCon Tournament Edition of his column The Dean’s List that was published March 5.

“There should be consideration to have a pre-game handshake immediately following the national anthem,” Keener said in his column. “This would serve as a replacement for the post-game exchange.”

It’s troubling to imagine that the thought of eliminating postgame handshakes is creeping up in the conference that App State has par-

Paul Heckert | The Appalachian

Director of player development for the Georgia Bulldogs John Eason leads both teams in prayer at the center of the field after the Mountaineers’ 45-6 loss in November. Win or lose, the Mountaineers tend to engage in post-game fellowship.

ticipated in since 1971. Even more frightening is the thought of influential figures in other conferences taking a similar stance on the issue.

But Keener’s argument is not without logic. He does raise a fair point that emotions can run wild between teams after a game, but demolishing a longstanding tradition of sportsmanship in athletics solely based off of the possibility of some players allowing emotions to overtake them after a game is simply absurd.

Sportsmanship is a measure of character. It is displayed by those who respect the game when the dust has settled on the playing field and

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athletes are able to display mutual respect for one another and the sport they play.

College is all about learning new things while also learning how to mature. For college athletes, that means learning to control their emotions even after a heated battle with a rival.

A famous hockey photograph from April 8, 1952 captured Boston Bruins goalie Jim Henry with his head bowed, seemingly in reverence of his opponent, as he shook the hand of the Montreal Canadien’s Maurice Richard after that year’s Stanley Cup semifinals.

Yes, it’s a different sport and it’s

not collegiate - but the image of those two men humbled after a hard, physical battle defines sportsmanship and if collegiate athletes are not engaging in the same kind of displays, then what are they truly gaining from having the privilege to play collegiate sports?

A pre-game gathering is fine if that helps players, but don’t take the postgame handshake away.

If collegiate athletes and coaches can’t learn to use self-control and take a few brief moments to display their respect for an opposing team, perhaps there’s more they need to be studying while they are in school.

April 2, 2014

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