Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Harvest House

Men’s Basketball

Fashion

Harvest House hosts apparel design and merchandising spring showcase featuring original student fashion work.

Jim Fox, App State’s new head basketball coach, has finished hiring his staff for the 2014-15 season.

Your source for the latest styles, product reviews and fashion news on campus and across Boone!

see PAGE 7

see PAGE 5

TheAppalachianOnline.com

The Appalachian 04.29.14

Appalachian State University’s student news source since 1934

Relay for Life raises more than $32,000

by Jessica Eley

Intern News Reporter

A

ppalachian State University held its 10th annual Relay for Life at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Friday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Saturday.

The event raised more than $32,000 for the American Cancer Society. Funds were raised by teams from online donations. Participants also sold food, baked goods and other items at the event and donated the funds collected.

This year there were 74 teams registered with a total of 1,100 people participating, a slight decline from last year.

Sigma Kappa sorority’s donations totaled $4,850, more than any other team participating in Relay for Life.

“Relay for Life is the biggest fundraiser for The American Cancer Society,” Dana Wetmore, Colleges Against Cancer chairperson, said.

The money raised goes to research to help find cures, fund prescriptions, tests and other things that help doctors detect cancer earlier. It also helps doctors look for a cure for cancer or look for a treatment that they can provide people with, said Melissa Hiatt, Relay for Life

Vol. 88, No. 48

Noren Everts addresses faculty loss, budget concerns

by Laney Ruckstuhl Assistant News Editor

Maggie Cozens | The Appalachian

Students pose with a participant in the Relay for Life drag show Friday night at Kidd Brewer Stadium. The annual event raised more than $32,000 for the American Cancer Society.

specialist for the American Cancer Society of Watauga County.

Cancer survivors took the first lap around the football field to kick off the fundraising walk, followed by those who have helped someone battling cancer joining in the second lap.

Students also participated in numerous activities on the field such as a Quidditch game, drag show and corn hole.

Laura Malinoski, junior history education major, represented Appalachian’s field hockey team.

Show-stopping performances from legends make 27th MerleFest a success

This was Malinoski’s third year participating in Relay for Life.

“I’ve had two loved ones pass away from cancer, as well as one still fighting against it,” Malinoski said. “I walk to show support for my loved ones.”

Sheri Noren Everts, Appalachian State University’s chancellor-elect, spoke to Faculty Senate at the final meeting of the semester Monday.

Noren Everts addressed major concerns for the coming year and welcomed questions, comments and advice from faculty senators, though she reminded them she was not yet installed in her position and paid her respect to Chancellor Kenneth Peacock.

“While it’s very difficult to follow a very popular chancellor, it’s also a great opportunity to grow what you’ve created here,” she said. “Ken [Peacock] likes to say he’s doing it the App way, and I’m beginning to get a sense of that.”

Noren Everts named budgetary concerns, loss of state support and faculty exodus as her biggest concerns once in office, though she said she feels they are also issues being seen by universities across the nation.

SEE SENATE PAGE 3

SGA’s Tie-Dye Dash raises money for scholarship

Morgan Cook | The Appalachian

Appalachian students celebrated the completion of the Tie-Dye Dash on Saturday on Sanford Mall. Appalachian State University’s Student Government Association sponsored the event.

by Kevin Patel Intern News Reporter Paul Heckert | The Appalachian

Mandolin Orange frontwoman Emily Frantz plays on the John Pearse Stage on Saturday afternoon at MerleFest. This year’s festival attracted more than 76,000 participants to Wilkes Community College.

by Colin Moore A&E Editor

Wilkesboro Community College was once again home to tens of thousands of music lovers attending shows on 13 different stages at the 27th annual MerleFest, Thursday through Sunday.

This year’s lineup featured country legends Alan Jackson and Merle Haggard, as well as modern bluegrass stars the

FOR RENT

Carolina Chocolate Drops, Old Crow Medicine Show and the Steep Canyon Rangers.

The weather this year was sunny and pleasant, a sharp contrast to last year’s pouring rain.

Named in commemoration of the late guitarist Merle Watson, the music festival honors the entire Watson family, including folk music legend Doc Watson, who founded the festival. This is the second Mer-

leFest since Doc’s passing.

“The best times I had were sitting next to Doc,” country singer Ricky Skaggs said during his Saturday evening performance at the festival’s main venue, called the Watson Stage.

“Standing up here, Doc not being here is a little bit bitter. But I know if he was here today and knew that you all were out here, he’d be very proud.”

SEE MERLEFEST PAGE 5

Appalachian State University’s Student Government Association hosted the second annual Tie-Dye Dash on Sanford Mall on Saturday morning.

The Tie-Dye Dash is a 5K run modeled after Charlotte’s Color Run. Throughout the run, color stations were set up with volunteers ready to throw powdered paint on participants as they passed.

“It’s a fun way to take on a 5K,” Carson Rich, SGA president-elect and current director of Sustainability, said. “If it’s just monotonous running for 30 minutes, then it can be a

Who will you rent from?

little boring, but the color kind of helps spice it up and keep it interesting.”

At the end of the 5K, participants assembled at Sanford Mall. After a few words from Director of Campus Outreach Zach Yllanes, who was also responsible for organizing the Tie-Dye Dash, participants gathered in a tightly packed crowd to throw the remaining paint on each other.

Participation in the event cost runners $21.50. All proceeds went to the creation of a new scholarship.

The event raised more than $2,200 from more than 100

SEE TIE-DYE PAGE 3

FO NO R W A R U E G N U T S IN T 20 G 14

Where will you live?

You name it, we probably have it, with over 550 rentals to choose from.

HOUSES | DUPLEXES | CONDOS | APARTMENTS | WALK-TO-CAMPUS | APPALCART | COUNTRY LIVING

HoltonMountainRentals.com

828-264-3644

2

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

PHOTO ESSAY

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

The 27th Annual MerleFest, held on the campus of Wilkesboro Community College, attracted 130 performers and 76,000 participants this year. Headliners included Alan Jackson, Old Crow Medicine Show, Carolina Chocolate Drops and Merle Haggard.

Photos by Paul Heckert

MERLEFEST

NEWS

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

3

Industrial design students show work in Milan

by Carl Blankenship Intern News Reporter

Earlier this month, Appalachian State University was one of two American universities to be invited to the Milan Furniture Fair, the largest in the world.

At the fair April 8 through 13, university students were able to feature their work.

Fifteen European and two American universities are invited to the event every year.

Industrial design professor Richard Prisco said that more than 300,000 people attended the fair with about 50,000 trade members and 3,000 press members.

“It’s a huge deal,” Prisco said.”We’re working in the world market of educating students in furniture design and this puts us on the map in terms of recruitment, credibility and respect.”

Prisco said the furniture presented by the students was very well received.

“We had multiple questions about whether the work was being manufactured and got offers from others wanting to manufacture the work,” Prisco said. “A couple of the pieces are very likely to be in production before the students graduate.”

Prisco said the furniture design program at Appalachian is the only one in the country requiring a business minor.

“A lot of schools are all about fanciful designs that have no relevance in a manufactured market,” Prisco said.

“Our students are so hands-on that everything we showed at the fair could go into production with minimal tweaks.”

Prisco said industrial design program graduates have a 75 percent placement rate in the field.

Senior industrial design major Casey Gloster said the projects on display from the university were the result of a collaboration with the university’s Solar Decathlon Europe entry, and the objective was to design furniture to fit the aesthetic of a mid-century modern home.

“We were given the opportunity to choose what furniture we wanted to do for the house, and I decided I wanted to do more chairs,” Gloster said. “I did a lot of studying of what’s popular right now with the help of [the interior design lead on the Solar Decathlon project] Aerial Shockley.”

Gloster said the project developed into the Gestalt chairs, a pair of onearmed chairs designed to mirror each other. Gestalt is a German term, which means greater than the sum of its parts.

The chairs were made from a cast created from molten aluminum poured on campus, then machined and welded

by Gloster.

Senior industrial design major Sheilla Sanon created a desk lamp for the fair called Esari.

Courtesy | Nicholas Pendergast

Senior industrial design major Casey Gloster designed this set of chairs, called Gestalt Chair. The set of chairs will be placed in Appalachian State University’s Solar Decathlon House, Maison Reciprocity, when it travels to France in June.

The lamp uses acrylic rings and magnets to give the rings a levitation effect.

Sanon said going to the fair was an experience of a lifetime.

“Getting to actually sit in chairs I had learned about in school was amazing,” Sanon said. “I couldn’t believe I was presenting my first lamp at the biggest, most highly regarded furniture fair in

the world,” Sanon said.

Ian O’Hare, another senior industrial design major, built the Obli floor lamp and Toro chairs for the event.

“Most of the young and independent designers’ works are what stuck out to me the most,” Sanon said. “Their collections were genuine and clever, refreshing to say the least.”

‘Clapton’s Guitar’ selected as summer reading book

by Carl Blankenship Intern News Reporter

Paul Heckert | The Appalachian

Allen St. John’s ‘Clapton’s Guitar‘ is Appalachian State’s summer reading book. The book follows guitar builder Wayne Henderson.

“Clapton’s Guitar” was recently selected as the summer reading assignment for Appalachian State University.

The book by Allen St. John follows Virginia-based luthier Wayne Henderson, who has built guitars for musicians such as Doc Watson and Tommy Emmanuel, as he builds a guitar for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist Eric Clapton.

Associate professor of English Colin Ramsey heads the committee in charge of selecting the summer reading book each year.

“We develop a long list and then start whittling it until we have our best choices,” Ramsey said. “When we have a short list of about four to six books, we make a choice mostly based on our conversations.”

Ramsey said this book is different from other years because of the local connection.

“We like the way it portrays very interesting people from Appalachia like Wayne Henderson,” Ramsey said. “We haven’t seen this local connection in the titles we’ve picked recently, and we think the book gives an introduction to resources of the region, such as the music and folklore.”

St. John said he had preconceptions about the region when he came here to visit Henderson’s shop in Grayson County, Va., originally for Henderson to build a custom guitar. But after learning about Henderson building a guitar for Clapton, St. John decided to write the book.

“My wife told me to keep gas in the car because you don’t know how long there will be between gas stations, but quite frankly it was much more built

SENATE

FROM PAGE 1 Tim Burwell, vice provost for resource management, also spoke to the faculty senate about recent loss of faculty.

Burwell said the university has lost 21 total faculty members since 2012, a number that he regarded as unusually high.

But at an April 18 faculty senate meeting, Faculty Senate Chair Andy Koch said the College of Arts and Sciences alone has lost 21 faculty members this school year alone.

Many senators expressed their concerns over the data discrepancy, though Burwell said he was announcing the numbers as reported to the resource management department by individual colleges.

up than parts of New Hampshire [where my in-laws live],” St. John said. “I started out wanting a guitar and ended falling in love with the culture and the place.”

St. John said Henderson is a true American original.

“He started building guitars not for money or to build a reputation, because he wanted a guitar and couldn’t afford it,” St. John said. “To him, if you wanted something, you made it.”

St. John said the guitars Henderson builds are a reflection of who he is.

“Each guitar is a sum of 1,000 little decisions he has to make,” St. John said. “The stuff that is buried in the guts of his guitars is something you will never see.”

With the blessing of his wife, St. John will miss his 25th wedding anniversary to speak alongside Henderson at Fall Convocation in September.

“For [faculty] who have come to [Appalachian] in the past five years, this is the worst of all times to have come here,” Burwell said.

Noren Everts said she is concerned about faculty loss and believes financial concerns at the state level play a part in the issue, though she feels faculty and staff are the strongest resource the university possesses in combatting current problems.

“It’s not true at all campuses that students have warm and delightful respect for the faculty,” she said.

Despite challenges, Noren Everts said she feels the UNC system and Appalachian in particular have a high reputation and the results of student education make things worthwhile.

“The students and what they do and how they change the world, that speaks,” Noren Everts said.

WALK TO CLASS! Only $585 Per Person - All Inclusive!

Morgan Cook | The Appalachian

Appalachian students and community members toss color in the air after the Tie-Dye Dash on Saturday on Sanford Mall. Students ran a 5K to fundraise for the Student Government Association.

TIE-DYE

FROM PAGE 1

runners for the scholarship fund, which Yllanes said matched SGA’s expectations.

“The scholarship is brand new,” Yllanes said. “It’s called the Leadership & Engagement Scholarship, and it’s been worked on since last semester. It is for students who are committed to our campus and the local com-

munity - for those who have shown great spirit and great leadership during their time at Appalachian.”

The scholarship requires a 3.0 GPA, and is primarily for upperclassmen, Yllanes said.

“A lot of scholarships are tailored toward undergraduates, and we wanted to make sure we change that and provide others an opportunity for some financial assistance,” Yllanes said.

Call Today!

828-262-3431

4

NERDCON 2014 NEWS

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

The Appalachian Nerd Network hosts fourth annual Nerdcon

by Malik Rahili Visual Managing Editor

Gamers, cosplayers and nerd enthusiasts gathered in Plemmons Student Union on Saturday for The Appalachian Nerd Network’s fourth annual Nerdcon.

The Nerd Network hosts Nerdcon as a place for nerds to come together, event coordinator Aaron Scott said.

“Nerds in general, I hate to say this, they’re not the most social people in the world,” Scott, a senior anthropology major, said. “This is a great opportunity for people to come out, meet people of similar interests and socialize and do things like make these amazing cosplays, show their creative side.”

One of the main events of Nerdcon was the cosplay contest held in Linville Falls. Cosplay, short for costume play, is a type of performance art where people buy or make homemade costumes that resembles their favorite video game, movie, television, anime or manga character.

Twenty students and community members came to show off their costumes and compete in a contest for various prizes in front of a large audience that was overflowing out of the door.

Ben P’Simer, who cosplayed as the famous villain Pyramid Head from the “Silent Hill” series, won the prize for the nerdiest costume at the contest. After competing in three cosplay contests, P’Simer said he loves the attention he receives during them. “[Cosplaying] is just awesome,” P’Simer said. “[It is] a giant ego boost when you make good stuff and people say ‘Man, that’s really awesome’ or ‘That’s really cool.’”

Many Nerdcon attendees were dressed up as popular characters such as Thor and the Ghostbusters, as well as less popular characters like Pyramid Head or Ruby Rose from “RWBY.” The cosplay contest was one of the main attractions, but it was not the only event.

Grandfather Mt. Ballroom hosted a large video game free-play for the entirety of the event. Attendees could play games like “Super Smash Brothers” or “Call of Duty” against one another.

Card game enthusiasts also had a place to have a Magic: The Gathering Journey Into Nyx prerelease tournament and tables set up to bring their own card games to play.

Roan Mountain was the center for tabletop gaming, where attendees could come and play games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Pokemon Style RPG. There were two tabletop sessions for each half of Nerdcon.

The Nerd Network in conjunction with F.A.R.M. Cafe hosted a charity auction with items donated by members, vendors and local businesses

Photos by Malik Rahili | The Appalachian

Throughout the student union, there were panels and discussions on topics ranging from Marvel vs. DC and which Pokemon generation is the best. At some panels, there were special guests like the Carolina Ghostbusters and the Appalachian Apparators Quidditch team.

The cosplay contest was not the only competition at Nerdcon. There was a drawing contest - Comigeddon, cooking contest - Buffet the Food Slayer and Heta-lympics, where participants represented their favorite country or fandom and competed in Olympic style events. The Nerd Network also hosted a trivia match.

In the Blue Ridge Ballroom, vendors from across the state sold a multitude of items to the Nerdcon attendees.

Items ranged from jewelry, stuffed animals and hand-crafted wands.

There was also a party called the notRave where participants gathered in Parkway Ballroom to dance.

Nerdcon went from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and was open for anyone to come and participate.

Steeplechase Wood Circle - $430 Per Person - Now All Inclusive!

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

A&E

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

5

On Stage

Apparel design and merchandising showcase honors students

Cara Croom | The Appalachian

Student designers and models in the apparel and design Spring Showcase line the stage after the event Saturday at the Harvest House.

by Sam Lineberger A&E Reporter

A

ppalachian State University’s Apparel Design and Merchandising program held its annual Spring Showcase for a full crowd at the Harvest House last Saturday afternoon.

The event, which featured the work of Apparel Production, Construction and Flat Pattern students, also honored the winners of major Family and Consumer Sciences schol-

arships.

Senior apparel design and merchandising major Jackson Owens said that his designs in the show were all activewear pieces designed for both workout and casual dress.

“We did research on inspiration and fabric choices, sketched out what we wanted, hand-patterned and fit everything to our models and then sewed the finished product,” Owens said.

While the main show was

MERLEFEST

FROM PAGE 1

Doc’s influence over countless musicians was keenly felt Friday night at Nashville-based band Old Crow Medicine Show’s manic, lively headlining set.

The band got its start after the Watsons discovered them busking in front of Boone Drug on King Street.

“Nancy Watson comes up to us and says ‘My daddy loves this kind of music, let me go get him,’” said multi-instrumentalist Ketch Secor, frontman of Old Crow Medicine Show. “Twenty minutes later Doc Watson walks up and says, ‘You boys sound so good. How’d you like to play the MerleFest?’”

Just last year, Old Crow Medicine Show became the most recent inductees of the famous Grand Ole Opry.

In addition to better-known acts, MerleFest makes a point of programming smaller, younger bands such as Brevardbased folk rock group The Fox Fire, which boasts two Appalachian State University members - junior management major Aaron Aiken and sophomore music in-

not primarily a competition, three local businesspeople acted as judges to lend the showcase credence. One of the judges was Appalachian graduate Caitlin Garn, who has worked in Merchandise Marketing for the Alumni Association and helped establish the White House Black Market boutique in Blowing Rock.

Student designers were responsible for the show’s formatting. Lighting, music and models are chosen to match

dustry studies major Clint Roberts.

Though Doc and Merle made their names playing traditional styles of music such as folk, country and gospel, MerleFest’s programs famously recount a story of Doc referring to the festival’s style as “traditional-plus.”

This means that the acts on a MerleFest stage aren’t easily categorized, with some staple headliners such as the Sam Bush Band incorporating jazz fusion and classic rock elements into their shows while still being firmly rooted in bluegrass and country.

The musical diversity is but one aspect of MerleFest’s easygoing, family friendly atmosphere. The festival doesn’t allow alcohol or tobacco and has many opportunities for children to pick up instruments at tents designated for impromptu jamming.

This casual environment exists onstage as well, The Kruger Brothers’ banjo player Jens Kruger said at a Friday afternoon set.

“We didn’t know what we were going to play today,” Kruger said. “We don’t know what we’re going to play tomorrow.”

each designer’s requests.

“I’m impressed and jealous that I didn’t get [so much autonomy] when I was at App,” Garn said.

One reason for the success of this year’s showcase can be attributed to the change of venue, Garn said. In the past, the Spring Showcase had been held at various venues on campus, where adequate space can be an issue.

Head Technician of the Harvest House Tim Snyder said

that the venue is proud to host such a well-organized campus program.

“It’s worked out really well, even though we’ve never done an event quite like this before,” Snyder said.

Owens agreed and elaborated on the new venue’s contribution to the showcase.

“Harvest House was a huge step up,” Owens said. “Ultimately the production quality worked well and provided a professional environment.”

Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian

The Fox Fire plays Sunday morning at the Plaza Stage at 27th annual MerleFest.

MerleFest is annual music and arts festival held on the campus of Wilkes Community College.

Local

Turchin’s fourth Art Bash promotes art appreciation among students

by Casey Suglia Intern A&E Reporter

The fourth Art Bash was held at the Turchin Center for Visual Arts on Thursday.

The event, which is only open to Appalachian State University students, invites them to come to the Turchin Center in a relaxed, informal setting.

“Art Bash is an opportunity for underclassmen to come to the Turchin Center, and more importantly, come to an art gallery if they haven’t been before,” John Kayrouz, assistant marketing manager for the Turchin Center, said. “Art Bash is for the student population on campus that is both arts inclined and not arts inclined but want to experience what it’s like to be in an arts center.”

The event has been held once a semester for the past two years and continues to fill the galleries with students.

Kayrouz believes having faith in art and the Turchin Center is

what contributes to its success.

“There are not that many campus art museums in the nation, so this is new for a lot of people,” Kayrouz said. “As more electronic media is absorbed, traditional art is not appreciated as much and frequently experienced.”

In addition to art, the event featured a photo booth, catering from Food Services, giveaways from local business and a performance by local band From Bears. A painting by artist Tunde Afolayan Famous was also given away at the end of the night.

Sophomore music education major Jesse Borower attended Art Bash and said it was an enlightening experience.

“I feel like in our own degree paths and focuses you can get caught up in your own mindsets and ways, so it’s good to broaden your horizons and open yourself to different creative works,” Borower said.

Sophomore English major

Cara Croom | The Appalachian

ASU students observe the Penland Resident Artists exhibition in Gallery A of the Turchin Center.

Sydney Marie Ryan agreed.

“There’s a lot you can take from different pieces that you might not have thought of before,” Ryan said.

Kayrouz said that he hoped

that by the end of the night, students would be thinking about what they just saw.

“Students are going to come here and realize it’s actually fun to be have fun with your

friends, take a look at some art, talk about it, laugh at it, maybe be disgusted or inspired by it,” Kayrouz said. “It’s a chance for people to get some new ideas by being exposed to artwork.”

Opinion 6

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Editorial Cartoon

Staff Opinion

Safety of journalists abroad should not be forgotten Michael Bragg Editor-in-Chief

Andrew Cox | Editorial Cartoonist

Staff Opinion

Education changes must be approached with caution Kevin Griffin Opinion Writer

A new bill in the state legislature may move North Carolina away from the Common Core education to a new, state-produced set of standards.

Several Republicans have proposed a bill, up for discussion and vote in May, that would replace the Common Core Standards in reading and math with new standards with a new system formulated by the State Board of Education in conjunction with a new, politically-appointed Academic Standards Review Committee, according to the News & Observer.

Common Core does have problems both in how it has

been implemented and with the standards themselves, and the state should be allowed flexibility to create educational policies that best serve students.

Still, we should be skeptical of the new plan coming out of the legislature for changing education in North Carolina.

Common Core has faced a number of criticisms, from the suitability of its curriculum to the process by which it was developed. In some cases, the criticisms are valid.

The evidence surrounding the standards themselves is mixed. Analysis by the Fordham Institute found that most states would see improvements in standards by adopting Common Core.

With Common Core, North Carolina would go from having a D in educational standards for both math and English in the institute’s estimation to having an A- in math and a B+

in English.

Other parts of the standards are more questionable. The standards with English, for example, recommend including more nonfiction texts such as historical documents in classrooms.

I have nothing against students reading these documents, but having them in English classes rather than in civics courses does not seem to make the most sense. For the legislators proposing replacement of Common Core, the issue of federal involvement is a major reason for their opposition.

But Common Core is not a federal mandate. The federal government has supported Common Core through provisions of grants and involvement in testing, but it does not require states to take part.

Despite the problems with Common Core, we should be careful about ditching it alto-

gether. Many teachers in the state, 77 percent of the membership in the N.C. Association of Educators, support the standards, according to the News & Observer.

Attempting to implement a new policy so soon after Common Core might be problematic for both teachers and students. And allowing too much political involvement in the determination of standards of curriculum would almost certainly have the effect of politicizing education in a way that is undesirable.

Determining how to best set educational standards is difficult and will likely never be completed definitely, but policymakers should proceed with caution whenever they try to change standards.

Griffin, a sophomore journalism major from Madison, 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.

There was a substantial bit of news from Ukraine last week that did not involve Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama or any prominent political figures.

Instead, it was about a journalist. Simon Ostrovsky, a journalist with VICE, was taken hostage earlier last week in eastern Ukraine while covering the ongoing conflict involving Russia and Ukraine, according to Poynter.

Fortunately, he was released after a few days.

The pro-Russian, self-appointed mayor of Sloviansk, Ukraine held Ostrovsky and others - many of whom are still detained. Ostrovsky, who has been covering the conflicts in eastern Ukraine for months, was pulled from his car at a checkpoint - accused of supporting pro-Ukrainian groups - and was beaten, blindfolded and interrogated before he was unexpectedly released.

“After I was released, I found out that the leader of the proRussia forces in Sloviansk, Vyacheslav Ponomarev, told journalists that we were being held as ‘bargaining chips’ in negotiations with the interim authorities in Kiev,” Ostrovsky wrote in an account of his detention. “I don’t yet know what he got for my release, but I hope it wasn’t very much, because no one should be allowed to take hostages no matter what their political demands are.”

But Ostrovsky said he had it easy because he was released.

Many others are still being held in a cellar that he inhabited for a short time.

And as far as recent misfortunes in the line of international reporting go, Ostrovsky is also incredibly lucky.

Associated Press photographer Anja Niedringhaus was shot and killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 4 by an Afghan policeman while covering the elections, according to the AP. Kathy Gannon, an AP correspondent, was also shot but survived.

“Anja is the 32nd AP staffer to give their life in pursuit of the news since AP was founded in 1846,” AP President Gary Pruitt wrote in a memo to AP staff.

“This is a profession of the brave and the passionate, those committed to the mission of bringing to the world information that is fair, accurate and important.

Anja Niedringhaus met that definition in every way.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists released a report stating that 70 journalists were killed in the field in 2013. The report also pointed out that 2013 was the second-worst year on record for jailed journalists.

It’s easy to forget that the people who collect and publish the news and images of the Middle East, eastern Ukraine and other parts of the world where conflict is present are in harm’s way.

They may not be trained soldiers and they may not be armed to defend themselves like a soldier, but journalists have an incredibly important role to play in areas of conflict.

Human lives are not bargaining chips, as Ostrovsky wrote, and it’s important that we remember this as more and more journalists enter these highly volatile areas for the sake of letting us know at home what is happening elsewhere in the world.

Bragg, a senior journalism and public relations major from Lillington, is the editor-in-chief.

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 The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Men’s Basketball

7

Men’s basketball coaching staff finalized for 2014-15 season

by Kaitlyn Thruston

Senior Sports Reporter

N

ewly appointed men’s head basketball coach Jim Fox announced Thursday that he has finished rounding out his coaching staff by adding three assistant coaches for the upcoming season.

Fox hired Jason Allison, Bryan Lentz and Mantoris Robinson, who bring a combined 27 years of coaching experience to the Mountaineers’ program.

“I’m extremely excited about the coaching staff we’ve assembled,” Fox said in a statement from Appalachian State Athletics. “Not only will they be a wonderful addition to the Appalachian State and Boone communities, they will contribute the energy, work ethic and knowledge to help us reach our goal of excellence in every regard.”

Jason Allison Allison worked at the Virginia Military Institute for nine seasons.

During his time as an associate coach and recruiting coordinator, he helped lead the Keydets to three appearances in the Big South Tournament title game.

Additionally, Allison helped VMI reach the semifinals of the 2014 CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

Allison coached 23 all-Big South honorees, including the league’s 2013 Player of the Year, Stan Okoye. He also coached two Defensive Players of the Year, Travis Holmes – 2007 and D.J. Covington – 2013, 2014, and 2011 Freshman of the Year.

Twice in Allison’s time with VMI the

Jason Allison

Bryan Lentz

Mantoris Robinson

Keydets surpassed the 20-win mark, a feat previously achieved by the institute only three times in the 97 years prior to his arrival. “[Allison] has established himself as one of the premier assistant coaches in the southeast with his work at VMI,” Fox said in the statement. “[Allison] is a tireless worker on the recruiting trail, on the court and in the community.

He helped turn around the program at VMI, and I fully expect he’ll do the same for us here.”

team, which saw NCAA Tournament action three times and boasted an overall record of 87-48 during his tenure.

“It is a huge addition to bring [Lentz] back to the state of North Carolina,” Fox said in the statement. “He is a jack of all trades and will be asked to wear many hats in this program. [Lentz] has always had success follow him and I am looking forward to working alongside him.”

Before working for the Longhorns, Lentz worked as an assistant coach at Lenoir-Rhyne for nine seasons (200108), where he helped lead the team to five South Atlantic Conference regularseason titles, one SAC tournament title and five NCAA Division II Tournament appearances.

eers after a two-year tenure at Fairmont State University in West Virginia. During his two seasons with the Falcons, Robinson coached five all-conference selections. “[Robinson] was highly recommended from people in all circles of the collegiate coaching ranks,” Fox said in the statement. “As a player, he was a part of championship teams at Winthrop and knows what it takes to win. He has already begun sharing that knowledge with our players and relates to them very well. [Robinson] is an asset both on and off the court, and I am extremely happy to have him on our staff.”

Robinson helped lead the team to back-to-back 20-win seasons, which included a 23-9 record and a NCAA Division II tournament appearance in 201213.

Bryan Lentz Lentz comes to App State from the University of Texas where he spent the last four seasons (2010-14) as an assistant coach.

While at Texas, he helped with all internal operations for the Longhorn

Mantoris Robinson Robinson comes to the Mountain-

Softball

Strong Greensboro offense drops Mountaineers in weekend series

Joshua Kincaid | The Appalachian

Junior outfielder Ashley Seering lands the third out in the second inning against UNCG during Sunday's game. The Mountaineers lost to the Spartans 7-0 in the third game of the series.

by Ben Cogsdale Intern Sports Reporter

Appalachian State softball hosted the UNC-Greensboro Spartans this weekend in a three-game series.

Despite setting scoring records, the Mountaineers were swept in its last home series of the season, dropping them to a 17-29 overall record and 5-12 in the SoCon. Game 1 The Mountaineers dropped the first game of a Saturday doubleheader 11-5.

App State rebounded from a slow offensive performance against USC-Upstate on Wednesday and jumped on the board early in the game.

UNCG plated two runs in the top of the first, but the Moun-

taineers responded quickly when junior outfielder Dani Heichen extended her 13game hit streak with an infield single to lead the inning off.

After junior second baseman Cynthia Gomez reached base, junior center fielder Ashley Seering lined a single into the outfield to chase home two runs for the Mountaineers.

Seering led the App State offense, finishing the first game 3 for 3 with two RBIs. “I was feeling comfortable, calm and relaxed,” Seering said. “It was very competitive from both sides, and both teams wanted to win.”

The Spartans put the game out of reach in the top half of the third as sophomore catcher Lindsay Thomas powered the offense for the Spartans.

After a two run blast in the

top of the second, Thomas smashed a three-run home run to put the Spartans up 9-3.

Junior pitcher Alissa Schoelkopf got the start for the Mountaineers, giving up nine runs, four earned, in two and two-thirds innings of work.

Sophomore Shivaun Landeros and freshman Sydney Laws also pitched and allowed two runs combined.

Game 2 The Mountaineers and the Spartans saved the offensive fireworks for the second game of the double header.

In a wild contest, App State lost 20-19. The Mountaineers set new school records in RBIs, runs and hits on the afternoon.

The Spartans once again jumped out to an early 3-0

lead in the top of the first, courtesy of home runs from junior second baseman Dominique Madruga and senior catcher Katelyn Bedwell.

The Mountaineers, in what proved to be a common theme throughout the game, responded in the bottom half on an RBI-single from junior catcher Sarah Warnock and a double from Seering.

The Spartans regained the lead 5-3 in the top half of the third only to see the Mountaineers counter once again in the bottom half.

The Mountaineers loaded the bases and scored on the next at bat when catcher’s interference was called with sophomore infielder Alex Sohl at the plate. Gomez notched a bases loaded walk on the next at bat to tie the score at five.

UNCG broke the game open in the fourth and fifth innings scoring 8 runs courtesy of two Mountaineer errors, two walks and a solo home run from sophomore first baseman Nicole Thomas.

App State had its most productive inning offensively in the bottom of the fifth. Warnock was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing home a run.

Senior first baseman Lindsay Loudermilk followed that by earning a walk to push across another run. Seering and freshman shortstop Cara Parker then drove in three for the Mountaineers to cut the Spartans lead to 13-10.

UNCG put up seven more runs in the top of sixth. Nicole Thomas and Toni MacReynolds both smacked home runs along with a two-run single from Bedwell.

The Mountaineer’s once again responded, putting up five runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 2015. The most damage came thanks to Loudermilk’s first career grand slam.

App State held the Spartans scoreless in the top half of the seventh and proceeded to construct a comeback attempt.

Sophomore outfielder Kristen Terry began the inning with a triple and scored on Heichen’s bunt single. Warnock drove in Heichen on the next at bat with an RBI single.

After Loudermilk singled to center field, Seering lined a ball into the left field driving in Warnock and Loudermilk.

With two on base and one out in the final inning, the Mountaineers were unable to

push across another run and fell a run short, dropping the game 20-19.

Landeros started the game for App State, allowing 12 runs on eight hits.

Seering led the offense, going 6-9 in the doubleheader.

Terry and Heichen each added five hits for the Mountaineers.

“It was definitely crazy,” Heichen said. “It was frustrating and fun. I’d never played a game this long in my life.”

After the second game, head coach Shae Wesley said she was pleased with the team’s ability to continue to fight back, despite the two losses on the day.

“We have a very competitive group of young ladies,” Wesley said. “I’m very proud of the team for fighting through.”

Game 3 The Mountaineers dropped the final game of the weekend series with UNCG on Sunday, 7-0.

Heichen extended her career-best hit streak to 14 games with a single in the first inning.

“I try not to think about [the streak],” Heichen said. “I hear it from other people, but I really try to keep myself composed. My job is to get on base and it has been working.”

Loudermilk collected one of the four App State hits on the day. Parker and junior third baseman Caroline Rogers picked up the other two hits for the Mountaineers.

Freshman first baseman Tory Wright gave the Spartans a 3-0 lead with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning.

UNCG scored four more runs in the sixth and seventh to take a commanding 7-0 lead.

Senior pitcher Raeanne Hanks threw the complete game shutout for the Spartans.

Laws started for the Mountaineers allowing seven runs on 10 hits in six innings of work. Landeros relieved Laws in the seventh allowing no runs and a walk.

“Offensively, we were way too quiet,” Wesley said after game three. “The team worked very hard and they stayed locked in. We just need to clean up a lot of things.”

App State will play its final home game of the season Wednesday against East Tennessee State University at 5 p.m.

8

SPORTS

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

App State baseball drops final game of series with Davidson Upcoming Games 4/29 - Wake Forest (6:30 p.m.)

5/2 - @ Western Carolina (5 p.m.)

5/3 - @ Western Carolina (2 p.m.)

5/4 - @ Western Carolina (1 p.m.)

5/9 - @ Samford (7 p.m.)

5/10 - @ Samford (3 p.m.)

5/11 - @ Samford (2 p.m.)

TASTY SUBS

Sophomore center fielder Jaylin Davis hits a UNCG pitch earlier this season.

by Bryant Barbery Intern Sports Reporter

Appalachian State baseball (16-26) could not outlast the strong hitting of conference leader Davidson (25-12) as they fell 15-9 Sunday in the finale of a three-game weekend series.

The series saw the Mountaineers win the first game 14-6 Friday, but drop the second game 0-12 Saturday.

The Wildcats connected early against junior left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Springs, scoring eight runs in his first two innings of work in the final game of the series.

In the first inning, sophomore Wildcats second baseman Andrew Pope connected on a base hit to get things started, followed by junior first baseman David Daniels, who smashed a single up the middle. Center fielder Forrest Brandt blasted a threerun home run over the center field wall to make it 3-0 Davidson.

The bats stayed hot for the Wildcats in the top of the second as Brandt notched his second home run of the day, and senior

catcher Daniel Gerow added another home run to left field to give Davidson a commanding 8-0 lead.

“I didn’t anticipate us to be down [8-0] after two innings with Springs pitching,” head coach Billy Jones said. “[Davidson] just did a good job hitting him, and we couldn’t get it stopped.”

App State responded in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore shortstop Dillon Dobson led off the inning by launching his team-leading eighth home run of the season into left field.

Dobson’s solo home run was his third long ball of the series.

“I think it was a fastball,” Dobson said. “I just went up there swinging, and I guess I got enough of it.”

The inning continued with the Mountaineers bringing in four more runs off of three hits and three walks to cut the Davidson lead to 8-5. Junior third baseman Michael Pierson continued the big inning with a huge shot to right field which was good for a double and two runs were brought in.

The Wildcats were forced to

Cory Spiers | The Appalachian

bring in junior pitcher Clark Beeker in relief as a result of the five run outburst.

But Davidson pulled away as they pounded in seven more runs as the game progressed to make the score 12-5 coming into the sixth inning of play. Sophomore left fielder Lee Miller connected on a pitch to blast the Wildcats’ fourth home run of the day and bring in three runs to give the Wildcats a 10-run advantage at 15-5.

The Mountaineers attempted a rally when Pierson hit his sixth home run of the season in the bottom of the seventh to bring in a run. In the bottom of the eighth inning, three more runs scored for App State but that was all the Mountaineers could muster.

App State falls to 16-26 overall on the season and 9-8 in Southern Conference play, which puts them in sixth place.

The first-place Wildcats improve to 25-12 for the season and 15-4 in SoCon play. The Mountaineers will host Wake Forest Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

“Offensively I think we are OK,“ Jones said. “Defensively we need to improve a little.”

SPEEDY DELIVERY!

FREAKY FAST

DELIVERY! ©2013 JIMMY JOHN’S FRANCHISE, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

$1 APPS Films Presents:

Greer SuperCinema 5/1-5/3 7 & 9:30 pm

Greenbriar Theater 4/30 & 5/2 Cartoons 6:30 Showing at 7pm

$1 apps.appstate.edu films.appstate.edu apps@appstate.edu

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

PHOTO ESSAY

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

9

The Apparel Design and Merchandising Showcase was held Saturday at the Harvest House.

The show consisted of a pre-show, presentation of scholarships, a main show and a presentation of awards. The three judges were Carol Dickerson, Caitlin Garn and Yvonne Johnson. This show is held every year as a way for the students to compete and show off their work.

Photos by Cara Croom

Fashion Show

10

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

App Submit announcements A service of the Division of Student Development.

Email dycheab@appstate. edu at least two weeks in advance.

Entries should not exceed 100 words and must 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.

Sustainability film 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.

• A Place at the Table, 7 p.m. April 29, I.G. Greer Auditorium: The story of three Americans who maintain their dignity even as they struggle just to eat.

The screening will be followed by a brief panel discussion with experts from the sustainability field.

BFA senior art exhibition The Smith Gallery in the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts at Appalachian State University will present “Boundless the BFA Senior Studio Exhibition Spring 2014” through May 10.

The exhibition features work by candidates for the BFA degree in studio art,

including photography, fibers, metals, installation, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics and painting. Work by students Cat Boyte, Andrew David Cox, William Hendrix, Laurie Kirkpatrick, Mary Shannon Marshall, Gena Murfin, Maria Perry, Sara Lynn Zagar will be exhibited in Smith Gallery. Andrew David Cox’s exhibition will be on view at Looking Glass Gallery in Plemmons Student Union.

A closing reception will be held at the gallery, 1-2:30 p.m. May 10. A reception for Cox’s exhibition will also be held, noon-1 p.m. May 10 at Looking Glass Gallery. The public is invited to attend.

Book publishing talk Craig Popelars, director of marketing and sales for Algonquin Books, will present a talk on book publishing at 2 p.m. May 1, Tater Hill, Plemmon Student Union. Popelars, a 1989 graduate of Appalachian State, will discuss how marketing and publicity is at the epicenter of publishing today—from a book’s acquisition to its appearance on the bestseller list. Open to the public.

Appalachia and Ireland Professor Dáibhí Ó Cróinín of the National University of Ireland at Galway will visit Appalachian State University to speak about, “Bringing It All Back Home: Jean Ritchie’s song-collecting trip to Ireland, 1952,” at 6

News p.m. May 1, room 5, Anne students or community Belk Hall. members) the week before graduation. Items are Poet tribute left in designated areas in Faculty from the de- each residence hall. Most partments of Languages, anything is accepted, from Literatures and Cultures, shower caddies, lamps, Anthropology and History futons, clean carpets and are sponsoring an informal non-perishable food items. tribute to Colombian writItems are collected nighter Gabriel García Márquez, ly during the final exam pewho died April 17, 2014 in riod by volunteers. Items Mexico City. are transported to Legends The informal and open where they are sorted and tribute and discussion will stored for the summer to be held 1:30-3 p.m. May be sold at the beginning 2 in the Watauga River of the fall semester at The Room, Plemmons Student BIG Sale.

Union.

Donation etiquette: • Only donate clean items The Peel’s Spring • Shake out rugs and vac2014 Release Party uum them before donating The Peel’s release party • Bag up or box smaller will be held as part of the items art crawl from 6:30-9 p.m.

• Do not take items from May 2, The Jones House, donation piles, as they will downtown Boone. Come be sold for local nonprofits out for art crawl to celeFor more information, brate published artists and email act@appstate.edu or writers, get your free copy stop by the ACT Outreach of the 2013-14 print edition Center, room 138, Plemof The Peel, Appalachian mons Student Union.

State’s student literary arts journal, and see student Move-in day performances. Free and Volunteers are needed open to the public.

Aug. 15 to assist with moveFor more information, in day for the class of 2018. go to www.thepeelreview. Students will arrive from com.

9 a.m. until 4 p.m., and volunteers are needed to Don’t Throw It Away assist students in moving Items will be collect- their belongings into their ed from 5-7 p.m. May 3 residence hall rooms. Volthrough May 10 at Leg- unteers are also needed for ends. Midday collections upperclassmen move-in will take place from noon-2 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. p.m. May 7 through May 10 Aug. 16. at Legends.

Appalachian will proItems in decent condition vide all volunteers with a are donated in residence T-shirt. As a special incenhalls by students (directly tive to organizations and to Legends for off-campus 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.

Civil rights work For the past two years, Appalachian has been working intensely on several initiatives to improve the climate of safety on the campus. Listen to a progress report in a new FYI Podcast: “Building a Safer Community: Appalachian’s work with the Office for Civil Rights.” Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/ appstate/fyi-ocr.

Free legal advice Do you have questions about your lease or the conditions in your apartment? Are you uncertain how to handle a speeding ticket or minor criminal charge? The Student Legal Clinic may be able to help.

An attorney is available to provide free, confidential advice and information to Appalachian students about a variety of legal issues. The Student Legal Clinic is located in Suite 324, Plemmons Student Union. Call 262-8284, or visit the office to schedule an appointment, or go to legalclinic.appstate.edu.

April/May

sunday

monday 27

tuesday 28

wednesday 30

29 Tai Chi, 5 p.m., Turchin Center, free

“The Little Mermaid” screening, 7 p.m., Greenbriar, $1

Painting Class, 7 p.m., Turchin Center, free Hayes String Ensemble, 6 p.m., Beats Antique con- Recital Hall, free cert, 9 p.m., Legends, $16-$20 String Chamber Ensembles, 8 p.m., Appalachian ChoRosen Concert Hall, rale, 8 p.m., Rosen free Concert Hall, free

friday

thursday

2

1 “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” screening, 7 p.m. & 9:40 p.m., I.G. Greer, $1

saturday

“The Little Mermaid” screening, 7 p.m., Greenbriar, $1

3 Reading Day

“Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” screening, 7 p.m. & 9:40 p.m., I.G. Greer, $1

“Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” screening, 7 p.m. & 9:40 p.m., I.G. Greer, Don’t Throw it Away!, all day, $1 Legends Spring Fling 2014, The Peel’s Spring noon-4 p.m., Sanford 2014 Online and Appalachian SymMall, free 2013-14 Print Re- phony Orchestra: lease Party, 6:30-9 Mozart’s Requiem, 8 p.m., Rosen Conp.m., The Jones cert Hall, free House, free David Marvel/Student Trumpet Recital, 6 p.m., Recital Hall, free

Last day of formal class meeting pattern

4 Don’t Throw it Away!, all day, Legends

5 Don’t Throw it Away!, all day, Legends

7

6 Don’t Throw it Away!, all day, Legends

Don’t Throw it Away!, all day, Legends

9

8 Don’t Throw it Away!, all day, Legends

10

Don’t Throw it Away!, all day, Legends

Don’t Throw it Away!, all day, Legends

Spring 2014 Commencement Ceremonies at Holmes Convocation Center, for the Cratis D. Williams Graduate School, 6 p.m., speakers: Alex Kirk (clinical psychology major) and Shannon Saville (social work major)

Spring 2014 Commencement Ceremonies at Holmes Convocation Center: College of Health Sciences, 9 a.m., speaker: Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock; Reich College of Education, 12:30 p.m., speaker: Darcy Grimes (NC Teacher of the Year); College of Fine and Applied Arts, 4 p.m., speaker: John Carter (anchor)

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

ADVERTISEMENT

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

11

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

ADVERTISEMENT

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

12