The Appalachian February 5, 2021 by The Appalachian

The Appalachian

February 5, 2021

Small celebrations:

How one professor spreads peace during pandemic David Brashier | Reporter

Geri Miller, professor in the Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling at App State, walks to her car concluding the day of work with a birthday balloon attached to her. Miller mentioned that we have to do what we can during the pandemic to keep moods bright. Jesse Barber

Walking through the College Street Parking Deck, Geri Miller, an App State psychological counseling professor, wore a balloon around her waist. She explained that her birthday was earlier this month, and she likes to make “a big fuss” when celebrating birthdays, especially her students’ birthdays. It’s one of the many ways Miller encourages her students, especially during a pandemic. She celebrates not only birthdays, but anything that her students deem worth celebrating, even if it’s just coming to class despite being overwhelmed. Now 66 years old, Miller has taught addiction counseling at App State since 1992. Reviews on RateMyProfessors.com describe her teaching style as “unorthodox.” Miller believes their reasoning is her years of experience before she began teaching. “I was a therapist in the counseling profession from age 21 full time until I graduated from my doctoral program in 1990,” Miller said. “So, I’ve always wondered if the reason I’m ‘unorthodox’ is because I was really born and raised as a counselor, so I approach the classroom in that way.” Miller said her passion was not what attracted her to addiction coun-

seling, but what kept her there for 45 years. “In dealing with addiction, by viewing it as a disease, like with any chronic disease that is fatal, I was drawn in by these professionals who were realistically hopeful about helping people,” Miller said. Miller said that her field was welcoming in nature, and lack of experience or simply being misinformed is met not with chastising, but gentle correction and encouragement. “If you told me, ‘Hey Geri, I’m interested in the area of addictions,’ the reaction in this field is, ‘Well, come on in,’” Miller said. Speaking on the resiliency of counselors in her field, Miller began shedding tears. “I just watch people work with people who are struggling with a chronic illness and not giving up, even though there were people dying of it and suffering severe consequences and they’d never give up hope,” Miller said. “They would stay with it because they believed in them. I’ve been in this field since the late ‘70s and I’m sitting here at my desk and I’m still tearing up.”

APH will welcome transfer students this fall

Prehistoric attractions come to Tanger Outlets

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News

Feb 5, 2021

Title IX Office enters new semester with new director, office encourages students to seek resources Abi Pepin | Reporter After 16 years in law enforcement, a retired police officer is on a mission to spread awareness about what his office at App State does for students. Jeff Lamoureux, the director of App State’s Office of Title IX Compliance, said he noticed that students and community members are unaware of their rights and the opportunities his office can provide. Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination for all educational institutions that recieve federal funding. Under App State’s policy, “sexbased” includes sex stereotypes, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and pregnancy or parenting status. Activities prohibited under this federal law include, but are not limited to: sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, sexual harrassment and coer-

Jeff Lamoureux said he wants students to know the rights and opportunities the Title IX Office can provide.

Courtesy of the Office of Title IX Compliance

cion. “Not everybody knows what we do,” Lamoureaux said. “Whether you want to file a report or not, we can still provide support.” If a student or employee has experienced sex-based discrimination, there are several steps they can follow to file a report. Although students aren’t required to report an incident, Lamoureaux encourages students to reach out to the Title IX office for advice and resources. Students or employees can file a report directly on the Title IX website, email titleix@appstate.edu, call 828262-2144, report to law enforcement or report the incident anonymously. Students living on campus can also reach out to their resident assistant for resources. Shannon Jordan, senior associate director for residence life for University Housing, wrote in an email that it’s protocol for resident assistants to report sex-based misconduct and interpersonal violence to the coordinator on duty. The coordinator on duty responds to the situation by offering safety and medical resources and options to “report the situation, transportation to the hospital, protective orders or counseling.” “Our RAs go through a detailed training with the Title IX office during their training in August,” Jordan wrote. “They learn their responsibilities to report sex-based misconduct and interpersonal violence and also learn how to be supportive if they encounter these situations with residents.” Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

LGBTQ anti-discrimination ordinance comes to Boone Xanayra Marin-Lopez | Multimedia Editor Kaley Barnes enjoys heading to the pool and working out with a nice swim; however, they say the locker rooms to get there aren’t designed for gym-goers outside the gender binary. Barnes, who uses they and them pronouns, changes in the family locker room, but has to go through either the men or women’s rooms to get to the pool. Boone Town Council member Dustin Hicks, a recent App State graduate, introduced an LGBTQ anti-discrmination ordinance to the town council last month Hicks’ proposal was well-received by the council. Hicks, who identifies as queer and non-binary and uses they and them pronouns, began serving on the council as a student. House Bill 2, a statewide bill popularly known as the “bathroom bill,” expired in December. Under the controversial state statute, transgender people who have not taken medical or legal action to change the gender they were assigned with at birth didn’t have the right to use public restrooms that align with their gender. Since then, towns across North Carolina have used local ordinances to ignite new policy against this kind of LGBTQ discrmination. Barnes also has to constantly remind professors of their pronouns. They changed their name socially and used AppalNet to notify the university of the change. Barnes said Boone is on the right track with the ordinance. Nothing is currently in the ordinance. The council is working with the town’s attorney to independently research possible courses of action and identify potential legal hurdles, and will report back within this month or the next. “Boone’s kind of been in its own place and doing its own thing for a while,” Hicks said. “I think a lot of older council members, … including the attorney, are hesitant to start with outside organizations doing the work to develop ordinances.” Hicks said they would rather work with nonprofit agencies, like Equality NC and Out in the High Country, because they view the groups as experts on the issues. After hearing from the attorney, the council will decide what options they want to go forward with. Hicks is looking to answer questions such as what protections are needed in Boone and what legal parameters exist for the town council. As for the consequences of breaking a town ordinance, Hicks said people or businesses could be issued fines and attend small civil court cases, but nothing is finalized. Caleb Robleto, a man who is trans, has a partner who attends App State. He lives in Vilas and said he has been

in the student union with his partner, and received weird looks when going to the bathroom.Robleto has also experienced being referred to by his non-preferred, legal namelegal name when visiting the doctor, waiting for other people to leave the public restroom in order to feel safe, being referred to by their birth name when making mistakes at work and having to unenlist from the National Guard. Hicks has seen support for the ordinance on social media, from their friends and from people they’ve spoken to as a council member. They say the only opposition they’ve heard of is through email, adding, “which is noteworthy.” “When you put forward laws that can protect people and change the way things are a bit, it can change the culture, too, to make it safer,” Hicks said. Hicks encourages concerned community members to email the council with what they wish to see from the ordinance, and their experiences.

Junior Kaley Barnes is a member of the LGBT community and shows support for the ordinance. Barnes often has to remind their professors of their pronouns and changed name.

Xanayra Marin-Lopez

News

Feb 5, 2021

Community rideshare drives App State students to create ‘Ride Beep’ mobile app Cameron Stuart | Reporter What began as an idea between two App State students in their freshman year dorm room, is now, one year later, the Ride Beep app. The app is designed to provide students and residents alike affordable rides around Boone. Co-founders Ian Murphy and Banks Nussman used the already-existing Facebook Beeper group their freshman year, but did not like the group’s set up, and wanted to create an app in its place. Nussman said the pair just made the app available to the public in the last few weeks. Murphy said they plan on the app being a replacement for the Facebook page. The app is divided into three sections: “Find a Beep,” “Start Beeping,”

and “Dashboard,” where users can access their profile. The app includes features that allow riders to see how many people are beeping, how many people are ahead of the user in line for each beeper, ETAs for each driver and security features. The Facebook group is more simple: both riders and drivers post any time they either need a ride or will be providing rides, and provide their contact and payment information. As an added safety feature, in the “Start Beeping” section of the app, drivers can check a box requiring people to wear masks in order to receive rides. Riders and drivers can use their student emails when signing up for the app, and the word “student” will show up next to their names. Beepers can

choose to accept or decline riders or drivers based on their comfort level. “We also have a report system in place that we’ll be checking, and we can remove users if something bad were to happen, or someone’s using the app that’s not supposed to be,” Murphy said. Nussman said there has been a positive response to the app so far. “As a person who beeps often, this app is it,” sophomore Katie Hines wrote in a Facebook comment. “It’s so much easier to navigate and amazing for us beepers.” Hines, who has beeped using the app, said beepers still receive all the revenue from their drives. Beep app users junior Victoria Wilform and senior Rachel Szeghy have also had positive experiences with the app.

Wilform wrote in a Facebook comment that the app is both beneficial and effective. Szeghy said in a statement that the app is much more streamlined than the Beeper Facebook group, and makes beeping more accessible to people who don’t use the social media site. “There’s also people out there that are kind of skeptical of using it, and are not as excited about what we’re doing,” Nusseman said. “But those that have used it have had an overwhelmingly positive experience I think.” Nusseman said the app has streamlined almost 100 rides. Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

How To Use The Beeper App Select "Find a Beep" or "Start Beeping."

02 Check the ETA of beepers, how many people are in line for rides and how many people are currently beeping.

Beepers accept or decline requests for rides.

Use your student email to tell beepers that you are a student.

Beepers choose whether or not to require all customers to wear a mask.

Graphic by Maggie Watts

SGA approves Director of Diversity and Inclusion, committee as permanent Xanayra Marin-Lopez | Multimedia Editor At a university where 18% of its student body consists of “racially and ethnically underrepresented students,” the position of director of diversity and inclusion in SGA has never been permanent, until now. A freshman senator initiated the position’s permanence with the hope to help the cause for diversity at App State. The position has had its inconsistency throughout SGA over the years. Before it was named director of diversity and inclusion, it was called director of social sustainability. The name changed during the Milbourne-Kelly administration in 2018. The position has never been explicitly defined in the SGA constitution. First-year student Ben Negin intitiated author of the bill initiated the bill to make the position permanent in the fall. It will become permanent after

a two-year trial period and the senate body’s consideration. It will lead a diversity and inclusion committee and committee chairperson. Those in the position previously worked for the same cause of inclusivity at App State. In 2017, the social sustainability committee passed a bill to rename the former Hoey and Lovill Residence Halls. The halls were eventually renamed last summer in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the Black at App State Collective’s demands. Korbin Cummings, the current director of diversity and inclusion for SGA, said that the diversity and inclusion work has always been happening. Because the permanence of the position was a part of Cummings’ strategic plan as current director, she co-sponsored Negin’s bill. The permanent director of di-

versity and inclusion position was part of Black at App State’s demands in July. Cummings is a leader in the Black at App State Collective. She took to Twitter to celebrate the milestone. “There’s always going to be a personal relationship that works with the Black at App State Collective due to folks existing in the collective,” Cummings said. “This bill is just in salute to those who have done the work before us,” Cummings said. Cummings says the bill is “in salute” to those who came before her and other SGA members “But also show the student body, and to show SGA that we’re very serious about making sure that equity, diversity and inclusion is something that we are going to always make a priority within our organization.” Negin reached out to Cummings

to get the initiative started. “A lot of the work that SGA does is about curriculum, just sort of the everyday goings-on of the university,” Negin said. “So it’s also important for that director position to look out and make sure that all those policies are fair and equal for everybody.” The bill passed during SGA’s first meeting in the spring semester and was brought in the fall, taking approximately six months from start to finish. Cummings said the extended timeline is abnormal for SGA. Bills are usually passed within the week they are introduced, but because this was a change in the constitution, factors such as the bill’s language increased the time. She said she hopes the new diversity and inclusion officer will have experience organizing on campus and working with organizations such as

Intercultural Student Affairs, because she is graduating this spring. “I think Korbin has set a great example of what to expect from someone in this role. Specifically, creating bridges between faculty, staff and students,” Negin said. “Really working towards real, concrete change.” Cummings said it is “quite obvious” that the economic recession, the 2020 election, Black Lives Matter protests and COVID-19 mean that diversity, equity and inclusion need to be a priority. “That’s kind of where I got the idea from that it should be permanent,” Cummings said. The bill reads, “these positions becoming permanent are integral to the continued work towards full inclusivity of underrepresented students at Appalachian State University.”

News

Feb 5, 2021

App State student University rebrands Appalachian Panhellenic Hall as Transfer Hall, coming fall 2021 found unresponsive in apartment Emily Broyles | News Editor

Emily Broyles | News Editor A 20-year-old App State student was located and found dead in her apartment by local law enforcement Sunday, according to a news release from Boone Police. Payton Furr, a sophomore communication, advertising major from Concord, was found dead in her home after Boone Police, Boone Fire and Watauga Medics responded to a 911 call of an unresponsive female at 161 Howard Street, apartment 210 Jan. 31 at 11:55 a.m. Medical examiners have not yet determined Furr’s cause of death. The cause will be determined through autopsy and toxicology, according to the release. Boone PD detectives suspect no foul play and are investigating the incident. “This family deserves to know the facts surrounding what happened to Payton and we extend our condolences to the Furr family,” said Investigations Division Lieutenant Jon Houck in the news release. The university confirmed Furr’s death to The Appalachian Monday. “Our hearts are with Payton’s family during this very difficult time. We are keeping her family’s wishes and requests paramount and are providing support and assistance to them as requested,” according to a statement from university spokesperson Megan Hayes. App State is offering “support, guidance and counseling” to the university community as needed. The university’s Counseling and Psychological Services is fully operating for students seeking support, and staff is available 24/7 for those with urgent mental health concerns. “During operating hours, students in crisis should let the receptionist know they have an emergency to speak with a counselor as soon as possible. After hours, select the option to speak with the counselor on call,” according to the statement from Hayes. The university encourages students to call 828-2623180 for Counseling and Psychological Services and to visit https://counseling.appstate.edu/ for more information. The Appalachian reached out to Boone Police for comment at the time of publication, but did not immediately hear back. This story was updated with university comment.

A recognizable residence hall is getting a rebrand. Appalachian Panhellenic Hall will be known as Transfer Hall come this fall. The new Transfer Hall will take over the App State-logo-emblazoned building located at 949 Blowing Rock Road, which currently houses predominantly sorority members. The former hotel can house 248 residents, more than triple the capacity of the two-floor Transfer Residential Learning Community located in Belk Hall. “You’ve got to have the willingness from the housing community to provide you with this type of facility,” said Kim Morton, director of Transfer Recruitment and Retention. “I think it just kind of all fell into place.” University Housing contacted Transfer Services in October to pitch the hall’s rebranding. “We are excited by the change and look forward to continue working closely with Transfer Services and transfer students,” said Alicia Vest, associate director for Student and Administrative Services in University Housing. The hall is planned to house 20% of returning transfers and 80% new. The 20% goal of continuing students was not met due to COVID-19, but Morton says new transfer students applying for on-campus housing Feb. 15 will be automatically placed in the building. Morton said the transfer RLC has a history of receiving double the number of applications than the building can house. She said that Transfer Services has advocated for transfer students “for quite a while,” including attempts of creating a transfer center in Plemmons Student Union in years past. “(University administrators) feel that freshmen need that engagement, that support to be successful students,” Morton said. “Well, I would argue that transfer students need the same.” One out of every four undergraduate students at the university transferred from another institution, according to App State. In 2020, 78% of new main campus transfers lived off campus or experienced virtual learning at home due to COVID-19. These students range in ages 18-72, with an average transfer age being 22. Junior marketing major Alejandro Torres, a transfer student, considers his friend group diverse in age in the RLC. After living in the transfers-only space, he now serves as a resident assistant for the RLC. “Having this community has been really helpful.

I have a lot of friends I made last year through the transfer RLC who I’m still friends with today and that I still hang out with pretty regularly,” Torres said. Torres said while App State “felt like the right school” for him with an easy drive to his hometown of Charlotte and great views, there’s a downside to coming to college as a transfer student. He said transfers who live in apartments and the RLC alike can feel discouraged. “It can be like a weird, lonely experience when you transfer in,” Torres said. “You’re a sophomore, you’re a junior, and you don’t have that much of a friend group yet. Usually a lot of the big friend groups kind of start up freshman year in your general ed classes.” He said forming a community with his floor has been hard due to COVID-19, but he’s seen friend groups form within the two transfer floors in Belk. Just as Torres hopes

to see more of this in the Transfer Hall, he hopes a transfer center like the hall will promote students getting more involved and informed. Morton said this is why the Transfer Hall space will be accessible to all transfers, even if the student does not live there. As for students that do, Morton says it’s a “best-of-both-worlds” opportunity with being on the edge of campus with university resources. “We want some continuing students mixed in with all the students in the hall to be able to provide experience and kind of a mentoring way to our new students,” Morton said. “Explaining (to) them the best way to do the AppalCart, or the best place to go get food and things like that in town.” Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

A&C

Feb 5, 2021

T-Rex at Tanger:

Fossil museum expands at new location

Ansley Puckett | A&C Editor Inside the Appalachian Fossil Museum. The attraction recently moved from Mystery Hill to the Tanger Outlets in Blowing Rock, taking advantage of the larger space to showcase more exhibits. Andy McLean

Ansley Puckett | A&C Editor Amid Blowing Rock’s Tanger Outlets, customers will notice a change of pace from the usual dining options and clothing stores. In the recently-opened attraction, patrons can find a real tyrannosaurus rex skull, a rare agatized seabird egg turned gemstone and a North Carolina emerald collection. These exhibits are just a few among the many at the Appalachian Fossil Museum, which opened at its space in January. The museum is the largest private collection of fossils, gemstones and minerals in North Carolina and seeks to promote basic geology. Previously located at Mystery Hill, the museum grew too large for the location, and after its lease ended, owner Randy McCoy, or “Doc” as he’s been coined, decided to move his private collection to a larger space. “That was a nightmare because we decided to (move) about Sept. 12 and we had to be out by Oct. 1,” McCoy said. “It is a lot to move, so we have a wonderful staff.”

The new location and larger space allows the employees to give customers a better experience when they visit the attraction, said Abigail Turner, an employee at the fossil museum and Doc’s Rocks. “It’s really nice to be able to have more people in this location,” Turner said. “We really feel like with the larger room we have, we’re able to interact with customers a little bit better, keep an eye on everyone and really be able to give everybody that family feel.” The Appalachian Fossil Museum, which moved with its gem mining counterpart, Doc’s Rocks, boasts a large collection of dinosaur fossils, uranium and attractions that McCoy has been collecting since he was 6 years old. “Some of this stuff is dangerous to show, like uranium,” McCoy said. “I had to go through all kinds of certifications just to get that and make sure I was going to show it where it’s safe to the public.” The uranium is locked in a case so that visitors can view the chemical

element while keeping themselves safe. McCoy said private collections like the Appalachian Fossil Museum don’t have the same limitations as large museums, which works to their benefit. “We try to show what you don’t see in normal museums,” McCoy said. “Being a private collection museum allows us to show you stuff that normally big museums can’t show you.” Although the museum is new to the shopping center, McCoy opened his private fossil collection museum in 2007. Jasmin McFayden, a visitor at the attraction, said she hadn’t visited the fossil museum until it moved, noting that it was much closer to where she lived. “They got a lot for everybody here,” McFayden said. “It’s approved by my 3-year-old, which is a ringing endorsement.” The museum’s grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place April 9 at 11 a.m. Until then, as the staff prepares the collections, the museum will operate with limited hours of Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK Ansley Puckett A&C Editor

Graphic by Camryn Collier

Music has always been a crucial part of Appalachian and Western North Carolina culture. Derived from influences such as Scottish traditional music, hymns and African American blues, Appalachian music set the stage for country music and the American folk music revival. With sounds of the banjo, fiddle and traditional ballad singing, the music of Appalachia is distinct and has filled the foothills for generations. Musicians like Doc Watson, Etta Baker and The Carolina Chocolate Drops have graced Western North Carolina’s music scene and brought string music to popularity. To celebrate the sounds of Appalachia and the musicians who play it, here is a collection of great Appalachian music to keep the tradition alive.

A triceratops skull at the Appalachian Fossil Museum. The exhibit is one among many that visitors can see at the museum’s new location, which opened in January. Andy McLean

A&C

Feb 5, 2021

Continued from page 1 Since the pandemic began over a year ago, Miller has felt that her calling is even more critical with substance abuse on the rise due to extended isolation. “During this pandemic, it’s critical that people get accurate information,” Miller said. “I tell my students ‘I am so happy to be talking with people about alcohol, drugs and gambling. I couldn’t think of a more honorable profession.’” Citing her students’ learning needs, Miller has continued to hold classes in person during the pandemic, but also gives her students the option of attending via Zoom depending on their level of comfort. “I decided that my students should have as much normal as they can,” Miller said. “Whenever ASU has been open face-to-face, number one is my safety, and number two is their learning.” For Miller, her students’ wellbeing puts her most at peace. She strives to make learning as engaging as possible; in her 28 years of teaching she has never used a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. One of her many creative teaching methods is using puppets to represent addiction patients. Miller’s students complete a final project she calls “sober rubber duck races.” She gives students rubber ducks named after celebrities who famously fell into and recovered from an addiction. Over the semester, students construct a narrative for their duck on their road to recovery and then race them in the creek in Durham Park. Miller mourned not being able to hold her rubber duck race in the semesters since the pandemic began. In-

A teacher at App State since 1992 in addiction counseling, Dr. Geri Miller has an “unorthodox” teaching style that she claims was formed from being “born and raised as a counselor,” Miller said. Courtesy of Reich College of Education

stead, she adapted the project, mailing rubber ducks to her students and having them submit the project in video form. Miller said that videography and editing made for a lot of humor and creativity from students. Miller also regularly checks in on her students and how they bring their personal lives into the class. Calah Faircloth, an App State graduate, took Miller’s “The Addictive Process” class in 2016. “I had Dr. Miller during one of the toughest moments of my life,” Faircloth said. “There was a lot going on personally, and I was hitting rock bottom at that time. When I mentioned what was going on, she gave me a great big hug and told me that no matter what was going on, I could come and talk to her.” Faircloth even kept her rubber duck from class, and it sits on her desk so she can see it every day. Inspired by Miller’s teaching, she hopes to return to school one day to get a master’s degree in counseling. “I think she’s just done so much for the world of addictions counseling,” Faircloth said. “I know that she is so beloved at the university by her students and fellow staff members. When I was in her class, I told my friend I wanted to be her when I grew up.” Despite immersing herself in what many might consider a dark field, for Miller, addiction counseling and equipping others in the practice is one of life’s pleasures. She wants the world to know that no one is powerless against addiction and that there are people who want to help. “This is the main thing that I worry about in the world of addiction: If someone is caught in an addictive behavior, the biggest danger is to quit trying to quit,” Miller said. “Don’t give up, whatever. Just like if somebody has cancer, we don’t say, ‘Oh, it’s back? Don’t even bother.’ Do everything you can on your part, and we will do everything we can to help you live with this disease.”

App State graduate embraces gender and identity through Etsy shop

Courtesy of Tony Sharp

Lily Kincaid | Reporter What started as a quarantine hobby “It was immediately apparent that quickly turned into a small business oppor- Tony had a gift and passion for embroitunity for a recent App State grad. dery,” Sharp’s partner Jules Goff said. In March, Tony Sharp “put needle to “GayGarbage is a testament to the resilhoop” for the first time to make their part- ience and creativity of my partner, and I ner a birthday present. am so proud.” Like many others, Sharp found themSharp intended for the name of the self unemployed due to the pandemic. Sev- shop to highlight their queerness, leaving no eral people suggested that room for people to be “curiSharp start selling their art, ous” about it. To Sharp, it is and Shop GayGarbage was Being gay, being a way to embrace their idenin love, being born. tity and recognize their jour“I never thought art able to express ney of exploring gender. would be something that I “They offer a safe and myself through welcoming would do to make money, space for queer and now people want to pay art … I cherish it customers,” said GayGarme for things,” Sharp said. every single day. bage customer, Allison “That’s just mind-blowing Holder. “The quality of the to me.” products is incredible, and GayGarbage offers custom embroi- anything and everything can be customized dery, digital art and stickers. Since Sharp specifically for you.” created the shop in July, they have creatIn rural towns, Sharp said it is very ed and sold around 50 pieces, plus 15 com- easy for queer individuals to feel isolated. missions for digital art. Their Etsy shop has Sharp finished their graduate degree at several staple designs, like a peach with the App State last spring and now lives in Vilas, word “cheeky” embroidered below it, an North Carolina, with their partner. embroidered white magnolia and a sticker Read more online at that says, “Queer Haw.” www.theappalachianonline.com

Sports

Feb 5, 2021

Gosnell reflects, looks ahead as women’s basketball enters home stretch

Ben Brady | Reporter

As a freshman in the 2017 season, forward ments for her major in psychology, she began Lainey Gosnell arrived at App State to a young the process of filling resumes and applying to women’s basketball program that featured five internships. She found that being involved with freshmen and four sophomores on the team. the program has sharpened her sense of teamThis season, she is among an experienced squad work, her ability to take criticism, her time mancurrently competing for a high seed in a strong agement, and work ethic. Sun Belt Conference. “People have told me a lot about how stuSimultaneously, Gosnell has made the trandent athletes have an advantage going out into sition from being a primary scoring option off the real world,” Gosnell said. “It’s those little the bench as a freshman, to taking on the role skills that you gain from being a collegiate athof a tenured senior leader. lete that look so strong on “Coming in my freshand that follow It’s those little skills that you ayouresume man year, we didn’t have into the workplace.” a lot of experience on gain from being a collegiate Currently in her secthe team,” Gosnell said. athlete that look so strong on a ond semester of grad “We were going through school, Gosnell was aca building year with new resume and that follow you into cepted into App State’s players and new coaches, Clinical Mental Health the workplace. so I had to figure out where Counseling Program at I belonged, and what my role was going to be.” the beginning of the year. She hopes to gradWhile she initially played at a wing posiuate as a licensed clinical mental health countion, Gosnell has solidified her identity as an selor, and she wants to work with collegiate athinterior presence and a floor-stretching knockletes or students. down shooter. “I’m not exactly sure what direction I want She currently ranks second on the team in to go in, but I know I want to join the counselpoints and rebounds per game, averaging 11.4 ing field,” she said. “I know I want to change points and 7.3 boards. She also leads the Mounpeople’s lives and help them get through their taineers with ten blocks on the season, seven challenges.” more than any other player. Looking ahead to the final month of the Historically, Gosnell sits at fifth all time in regular season, the Mountaineers will compete three pointers made in program history, and is in four weekend series: against Georgia State, currently two away from fourth place. She credCoastal Carolina, South Alabama, and Georits her individual success and her team’s sucgia Southern. Gosnell said her team undercess to head coach Angel Elderkin’s emphasis on stands the significance of finishing out the seaplayer development. son strong. “For the past three years I’ve continued “It’s so important to get these last few wins to grow in the role I was put in,” Gosnell said. to get a good seeding in the tournament,’ Gos“Coach Angel does a good job of talking about nell said. “We are locking in on things that we what’s working for us, and making sure we are can learn from in the past games, and working knowing each other better and learning from on what we can do better in the future.” each other.” App State (8-8, 5-5 SBC) will return to acWhile Gosnell has seen the effectiveness of tion at home on Friday as part of a weekend sethe values instilled in her by the program on the ries against Georgia State (7-6, 3-3 SBC). Tipoff court, she has seen similar success in embracing is slated for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on those values off the court. ESPN+. The Mountaineers beat the Panthers After fulfilling her undergraduate requiretwice in Atlanta on Jan. 22 and 23. App State senior forward Lainey Gosnell takes a corner three last Friday in the Mountaineers’ loss to Troy. Gosnell finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in the game. Sam Cooke

Sports

Feb 5, 2021

“I just want to be a positive influence” Tamardi leads App State men’s golf into 2021 season Cameron Burnett | Reporter During his first year at App State in 2020, junior Timothius Tirto Tamardi had an immediate impact and challenged program records for men’s golf, even in a shortened season. Tamardi transferred to App State from Bethune-Cookman, following former head coach Danny Forshey to Boone. While at Bethune-Cookman, he had two top-10 finishes and shot a career-low 70 in the MEAC championships. “Coming from a smaller golf college or country to a bigger one, it’s a big change from the way I’m doing it now,” Tamardi said. “It was a transition that I had to have and it’s a reason I want to set the bar high for the freshmen.” Before Bethune-Cookman, Tamardi came from his home country, Indonesia, to play golf in the United States. This transition

was challenging for him, but he made the most of it, and eventually found his way to Boone. “Being in a bigger school but a smaller city makes me feel like I have a bigger opportunity to have something that I didn’t have before, it allows me to focus on my golf game and my academics more,” Tamardi said. Tamardi finished with the second highest stroke average in App State history during the 2020 season with a 71.29 and received the Mr.Yosef award from the team for his leadership and work ethic. “Tirto is a very fine young player, young person in general,” head coach Jason Allison said. “A lot of guys love to play, he loves to work and practice, and he’s usually the first guy warming up in the hotel. He has a working mentality and that’s probably why his scores are so consistent.” After Allison became the head coach,

Tamardi decided he would stay with the program, and during their first season together, they placed top-3 in all three of their tournaments during the fall season. Beyond his success on the course, Tamardi has prided himself in becoming a great leader and becoming a role model for the younger players. This includes sophomore Addison Beam, who came in a year after Tamardi. “Every time you play with him, he seems to elevate your golf game, so that’s why I like playing with him. I feel like I have to play a little extra to keep up with him and he’s good to be around because of his work ethic,” Beam said. Coming into the 2021 season, Tamardi has taken a leadership role even though he isn’t a senior yet, which has had an impact on his teammates and the program. “Seeing how he plays and seeing how

consistent he is makes me realize that I need to be more like that,” Beam said. Off the golf course, Tamardi is known as a funny person even though he’s very focused and serious during competition. “We get a good laugh out of him, but that’s when he takes his seriousness down,” Allison said. With at least two more years left at App State, Tamardi has high expectations for himself as well as his team, including winning the Sun Belt conference. “I want to be a positive influence, I think about my team, my coach, my environment and how I could impact others, maybe just the smallest thing like a work ethic,” Tamardi said. “I don’t want them to be lazy, and that’s the thing that I’m thinking about all the time.”

Four COVID cases found within Men’s basketball program Dan Davidson | Associate Sports Editor

App State junior golfer Timothius Tirto Tamardi had a strong showing in his first year with the team in the 2020 shortened season. Tamardi tied a program record for lowest score in an 18-hole round by shooting a 65 at the Wildcat Fall Invitational. Courtesy App State Athletics

App State men’s basketball paused all team-related activities after four students involved with the team tested positive for COVID-19, the program announced Tuesday evening. Three of the four positive cases came from student athletes, and all four are recovering in quarantine. Contact tracing identified and notified close contacts of the cases. Those contacts are now in quarantine. The Mountaineers were set to take on Georgia State this weekend in Atlanta. Due to the COVID cases within both programs, the series has been postponed. The rescheduled dates of the series will be announced in the future. A spokesperson for the program offered no further immediate information.

Sports

Feb 5, 2021

New assistants bring fresh perspectives to wrestling program

Suit-clad App State wrestling coaches focus on a match between senior Codi Russell and an opponent from Gardner-Webb on Jan. 23. (From right: assistant coach Randall Diabe, head assistant coach Ian Miller, head coach JohnMark Bentley.) Andy McLean

Connor Davidson | Associate Multimedia Editor When a team has a lot of success, it’s only natural for its coaches to be asked to take on better jobs at other schools. App State wrestling is no exception to this. Over the last five years, the Mountaineers have won four conference championships and had 22 individual berths for the NCAA Championships. After this level of success, former co-assistant coaches Josh Roosa and Ryan LeBlanc took head coaching jobs elsewhere. Roosa was hired to become the head coach at King’s College in May, and LeBlanc was named the new head coach at SoCon opponent The Citadel in July. This left a big hole on the Mountaineers coaching staff, but it wasn’t one that couldn’t be filled. In the offseason, App State brought in two new

coaches, Ian Miller and DJ Fehlman, and promoted Randall Diabe from a volunteer assistant to a full-time assistant coach. Miller was hired as the new head assistant coach in September. He brings Power 5 coaching experience with him, coaching as an assistant at Oregon State for four years. Miller coached 10 Pac-12 champions and four all-Americans in his time at Oregon State, and before that, he was a three time all-American himself at Kent State. When comparing App State to a Power 5 school, Miller doesn’t see too many differences. “Everything you think of at Oregon State or a Power 5 school, you have available to you here,” Miller said. “Coming from a Power 5 school, App State has everything and more.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, getting to know the players was more of a challenge since they couldn’t meet face to face. Luckily, the players made the transition very well and Miller was able to get settled in quickly. “The guys are great, the culture here is unmatched… I’ve never experienced anything like it,” Miller said. “Creating that bond with the guys was really easy, it was a really easy transition.” Diabe brings a unique perspective as an assistant since he has been a part of the team for five years— as a wrestler from 2015-19 and as a volunteer assistant last season. In his wrestling career, he finished with a 77-48 record and was a conference champion his senior year. As a returning member of the

team, Diabe is able to coach in a more understanding way because he’s been in the players’ shoes. This allows him to serve the team in a way the other new assistants can’t. “I’m just a good resource because I’ve been through the program and I can tell everybody I know how it is, I know the process, I know everything that needs to be done,” Diabe said. “Guys can come to me for advice and things of that nature, and I can be able lead them in the right direction, whether it be on the mat, off the mat or academically.” Having stayed with the team through this big coaching change, Diabe got to see how the players reacted to having two longtime coaches move on. “Losing those other two coaches, it hurt. It was like a punch in

the stomach,” Diabe said. “Our guys, they were down for a little bit, thinking about the next move, because of the relationship and bond they had already built with those guys. And then Ian (Miller) and DJ (Fehlman) coming in, that’s all they talk about.” Fehlman was brought on as a volunteer assistant in October. This is his first coaching job, having completed his wrestling career at Lock Haven last season. He finished with a 11344 overall record and wrestled against App State’s Codi Russell a few times. Fehlman’s size and age makes him a valuable asset in practice, since he can still grapple with some of the smaller players. “I weigh like 140, so I’m still able to scrap with all these little guys and still not feel like I’m smushing them,” Fehlman said. “Besides that, I feel pretty good in all positions. I’m just young and willing to scrap every day.” Similar to Miller, Fehlman was welcomed to the team with open arms. The players were immediately ready to learn from him and start building the relationships needed to have strong performances all season long. “These guys came in, I just coached with positivity to some of these lighter guys and instantly had their respect,” Fehlman said. “They start to respect you and learn from you, and then you build a bond, and then next thing you know you’ve got everybody buying in.” Currently, App State is 5-2 overall, with the two losses coming at the hands of No. 4 NC State and SoCon foe Campbell. Next, App State travels to Lexington, Virginia to take on The Citadel and VMI on Feb. 5 before hosting the SoCon Championships on Feb. 28.

Opinion

Feb 5, 2021

caleb’s

CONCEPTS

Do blue states earn more? Caleb Garbuio | Opinion Editor According to Pew Research, 83% of voters said that the winner of the 2020 election “really mattered.” Of that pool, 71% of Donald Trump’s supporters said their vote was for Trump, while 63% of President Joe Biden’s supporters said they voted for Biden. To sum this up, political lines have been drawn. Despite having a controversial presidency, Trump’s bright spot remained the economy preCOVID-19. Economic activity is often boring and difficult for most to understand, yet this does not stop people from forming opinions about its function. Capitalizing on this vacuum, economic theory is determined by lawyers and politicians, who use eco-

Graphics by Caleb Garbuio

nomics for political ends. Regardless of what your postmodern professor will tell you, there are right and wrong answers — and the truth is always in the data. Let’s explore it, shall we? For this exploration, we examine 2018 household income from the U.S. Census, 2018 state income tax brackets from the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan organization that analyzes federal and state taxes, 2018 state legislature control from National Conference of State Legislatures and 2018 bachelor’s degree holders per state from the National Center for Education Statistics. When combined, what does the data say? Depicted below are three charts showing the distribution of median

ref. 1

income in states with a Democrat serving as their governor. (See ref 1, 2 & 3) The data shows that the average state in the U.S. has a median income of $61,549.28. The Central Limit Theorem tells us that over 99% of U.S. wages are between $30,997.22 and $92,101.34. Now, let’s break up red and blue states separately. Blue states have an average household income of $67,556.44 and 99% of their wages are between $38,619.37 and $96,493.51. On the other hand, red states have an average income of $58,722.38 and 99% of wages fall between $30,904.85 and $86,539.91. This means that, on average,

ref. 2

blue states have higher household incomes than red ones. However, both the lowest and highest-earning states have Republican governors, at $44,097 and $83,242, respectively. Now let’s examine how blue a state is. To test how red or blue a state was, we will use the proportion of the state’s legislative branch controlled by Congress. For example, blue states range between 50% and 100% with 100% representing total democrat control. A redder state ranges from 0 to 50% with 0 having no democrats. Depicted below is a scatterplot showing Democrat control and wages. (See ref. 4) Here is the linear relationship

between household income and the proportion of a state’s population that holds a bachelor’s degree. Since the data from this scatterplot fits nicely onto a line, it is clear that bachelor’s degrees are more correlated than Democrat control. We are now ready to test the full hypothesis with more variables. Let’s combine tax policy, education, age, governor and congressional representation to see the full effect. The first model will show us the percentage increase in wages depending on the percentage increase in different variables. Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

ref. 3 ref. 4

Opinion

Feb 5, 2021

U.S. employees deserve annual leave Jean Holman | Opinion Writer Courtesy of Pixabay

The Stock Market is a Scam Ella Adams | Associate Opinion Editor GameStop isn’t exactly Fortune 500 material, so how did its stock manage to join the ranks of some of the nation’s most successful corporations, including Google, Tesla and Amazon? Between Jan. 25 and Jan. 27, GameStop’s stock soared in value, seemingly out of nowhere. On closer inspection, the anomaly turned out to be a coordinated effort by users on the social news site Reddit to short squeeze GameStop’s stocks. GameStop is one of the most popular shorted stocks on Wall Street. A short is a method Wall Street investors use to make money off of low-value stocks. Investors borrow certain stocks and if the stock falls in value as they predict, they can buy it at a lower price and keep the difference. It’s almost like stock gambling. So, what is a short squeeze? The simple explanation is when a heavily shorted stock, like GameStop, rises in value instead of falls. Investors consequently lose their money that they bet on the stock. GameStop’s stock surge, otherwise known as “GameStop Gate,” came as a shock to some, especially the affected investors. But as outrageous as the situation is, the Reddit users who organized the stunt didn’t break any laws. So, why are brokerages like Robinhood trying to stop individuals from purchasing GameStop stock if it is their right, protected by law, to do so? The attempt to shield billionaire investors from the consequences of their own actions by suppressing small, everyday investors is a blatant and shameless act of market manipulation. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Ted Cruz and Tesla CEO Elon Musk all agree. Yes, you read correctly –– they agree, barring small investors from purchasing stocks is wrong.

GameStop Gate only brought to light what has been the reality in the U.S. for a long time: the stock market is a scam. There is outrage among hedge fund investors and managers over the GameStop surge. Hedge fund Melvin Capital Management lost 53% in January as a result of the surge. Many affiliated with the affected hedge funds have expressed their anger over the situation, claiming the Reddit-organized stunt cost them billions. Trading app Robinhood went as far as to remove GameStop from the app to slow the surge in a blatant attempt to protect the interests of the rich. The U.S. is facing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. In the richest country in the world, 1 in 4 families have faced food insecurity this year. While hedge fund managers rake in billions, the nation’s poverty rate is 12.2% with North Carolina standing at 13.6% and Watauga County at a staggering 23.3%. While American billionaires gained nearly $1 trillion as a result of the pandemic, unemployment rates for low-wage workers have yet to recover to half the rate they were pre-COVID. Billionaires added on average 57% to their net worth between March and December 2020 while American families struggle to put food on the table. Most notably, Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s net worth rose a shocking 524%. Yes, billionaires lost some money because of the GameStop surge, but they will still be exponentially richer than the overwhelming majority of Americans. One Twitter user joked, “I know this GameStop stuff is funny, but you have to remember this is hurting real people who own multiple boats.” Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

Compared to other countries, America pays their employees significantly less for vacation days. The United States should legally require employers to pay their workers annual leave. From jury duty to moving to a new home, employees face responsibilities that force them to miss work and get no pay. According to a Center for Economic and Policy Research report, one in four U.S. employees have no paid vacation. Looking at data for other countries, this statistic is quite depressing. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development compiled data together and formed a chart depicting that while the United Kingdom paid 28 days of annual vacation and nine public holidays, the United States paid for only 10 days, all public holidays and zero days of annual vacation. It’s no joke that U.S. employees are overworked. American workers deserve more paid time off not only because they give back to society through civic duties but also because of the toll and stress caused by overworking. A StressPulse survey found that 46% of stress from employees came from the amount of workload and 20% came from managing work and personal needs. Having more paid vacation days would decrease stress in the workplace because it would give employees more time to solve personal problems and have a break from their work environment. Considering some workplaces are far more stressful and dangerous compared to others, it is no surprise that many employees feel stressed with their workload. Employees need more paid vacation time to manage this stress. There are also specific characteristics for countries that determine whether an employee receives more paid vacation time. For example, a CEPR study shows that in Germany, employees age 16 and under receive 30 paid vacation days while employees under 17 get 27 paid vacation days. Most people these ages are students working part-time jobs. herefore they deserve more paid time off because of other important respon-

sibilities like school work. Employees who have worked for a company for longer periods of time can also receive benefits in countries outside the U.S. Canada for instance, depending on which province, offers employees who have worked for five to 10 years an extra paid vacation week. Japan similarly gifts a total of 20 paid vacation days to employees working for an employer for more than 18 months. Some companies in the U.S. offer these benefits as well, but it is not a legal requirement. Employees who dedicate more time to their employer deserve to be awarded. Receiving additional paid vacation days would decrease the chances of an employee quitting a job. It can be seen as an incentive; if I stay at this company for one more year, I’ll get more time off to do what I want and possibly earn a raise. Other countries like Spain also allow for extra paid leave for specific events like jury duty, moving to a new house or even getting married. The United States should also incorporate these guidelines since employees are missing work to perform civic tasks solely for their community. All states should require private employers to pay employees for these absences. We as citizens are contributing to the system, giving our aid to the community and therefore should not be penalized for doing so. U.S. employees should be paid for annual leave for many reasons including volunteering, helping with civic duties, performing union work, or needing time off for important tasks like moving to a new apartment. Some employees have three jobs, go to school and work for a company for three years without annual leave. Every employee’s circumstances are different and it is not up to employers to decide what is best for them. The U.S. must mandate paid leave.

Et Cetera

Feb 5, 2021

Sudoku

Fill in the blanks so that each row, each column, and each of the nine 3x3 grids contain all of the digits 1 through 9.

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The Appalachian is the award-winning, independent student-run news organization at Appalachian State University, published since 1934. The student staff maintains all editorial discretion, and there is no prior review by university faculty, staff or administrators. The Appalachian strives for accuracy in newsgathering and reporting. If you think we have made an error, email editor@theappalachianonline.com. Participation in The Appalachian is open to all current full-time students at the university. For more information about joining, email outreach@theappalachianonline.com. The opinions pages of The Appalachian are an open public forum. Contributions are welcomed via email to editor@theappaalchianonline.com. Opinions expressed are those of individual columnists, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the news organization overall. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The Appalachian editorial board.

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