Avion Issue 9 Fall 2015 by The Avion

Jack Taylor & Micah Knight/The Avion Newspaper A ULA Atlas V rocket in the 401 configuration lifts off from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station just after noon on Halloween 2015, dubbed a festive “launchoween” by those attending the launch. The rocket launched the second-to-last in a new GPS Satellite series to improve accuracy. The launch was completely successful, putting the satellite in its proper orbit, right on schedule.

Atlas V Lifts GPS Satellite to Orbit Micah Knight Managing Editor At 12:13 P.M. on Sat., Oct. 31, SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was shaken by 860,200 pounds of thrust from an Atlas V rocket. The United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) launch vehicle,

in the 401 configuration (4-meter fairing, 0 solid rocket boosters, 1 centaur engine in the second stage) lifted a GPS Satellite to an orbit 11,000 miles above the surface of the Earth. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is comprised of 24 satellites in six different

planes of orbit. The satellites constantly transmit data, allowing users with the proper equipment to calculate the precise time and their location or velocity, and are used in almost every conceivable application. The satellite launched on Saturday was the eleventh in the block

IIF series, the next generation of GPS Satellites that are more robust, have greater accuracy, and new signals. The launch was delayed from Fri., Oct. 30 after a leak was found in the valve for the water suppresion system, but the valve was replaced and the vehicle launched

one day after schedule. The Atlas V rocket was assembled in only 18 days, beating a previous record assembly time of 21 days. The launch was a total success, the GPS IIF11 satellite is currently in its proper orbit, operating perfectly. The next launch

from Cape Canaveral is another Atlas V on Dec. 3, carrying Orbital ATK’s Cygnus capsule to the International Space Station in a Commercial Resupply mission. The first launch of 2016 will be the final GPS IIF satellite on yet another Atlas V rocket on Feb. 3.

Opinion: Read and Heed - Just in Case Steve Dedmon Associate Professor It usually begins like this: a student arrives at my office and asks if they can discuss something with me. Of course I say yes, but there are those milliseconds of silence where I am trying to recognize the person as a present student, former student, one of my advisees, or someone just needing legal advice. After that brief but deafening silence, they introduce themselves and say there is a university issue and ask for my advice. The university issue the student is facing is an honor court hearing. All too often, this is going to be a one-sided conversation as I am going to be doing all the talking as he or she has no clue regarding the

administrative procedure they are facing, the potential ramifications or the due process rights they are afforded. Hopefully, at the conclusion of this article, you will be better informed of your rights and responsibilities if you are ever faced with a process that can be perceived as intimidating at best and overwhelming at worse. It should go without saying, but I am going to do so anyway. Take this process seriously; if you do not give it your due diligence, blow it off, just flat do not show You Lose By Default. At the outset, fully understand the proceedings related to the types of hearings students may face are outlined in the Student Handbook. Presently, it can be accessed online or in hard copy; however, it appears the

hard copy version will not be available in the future, as the university has decided to discontinue printing it. Although I understand the reasoning - everything is moving to the web now, I find it unfortunate that students (and me, for that matter) will not have some tangible reference to carry, mark-up, or bookmark for quick reference. There is also the issue that students may not know or remember that the handbook is online, but may carry it in its current form, as it contains additional information such as a calendar and discount coupons to various vendors. Also, as I annually compare the newest version to the old one, not having it in print is going to make that process a bit more difficult. Continued on A5 >>

Photo Courtesy Steve Dedmon Professor Dedmon is an attorney and member of the Florida Bar and Supreme Court Bar of the United States. He teaches a variety of law related courses in the Aeronautical Science Department. He can be reached at Stephen.Dedmon@erau.edu or in his office in the CoA building, second floor, office number 200B.

Campus

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Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Business Manager Photography Editor Advertising Manager

Andy Lichtenstein Micah Knight Cassandra Vella Michael Nisip Jack Taylor Shemar Alexander

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An Evening With Ann Romney

Left: Ann Romney speaks with Marc Bernier during EmbryRiddle’s last Presidental Speaker Series. Romney spoke about various topics ranging from her battle with Multiple Sclerosis, and her life in the politcial arena.

Page Editors Front Editor Campus Editor SGA Editor Student Life Editor Space Editor Comics Editor Copy Editor

Micah Knight Billy Nguyen Jordan Foster Jaclyn Wiley Keenan Thungtrakul Micah Knight Jaclyn Wiley Malana Linton

Staff Contributors Reporters Photographers

Micah Knight Keenan Thungtrakul Billy Nguyen Jack Taylor Micah Knight

Correspondents Grady Delp

Staff Advisor Wesley Lewis, Asst. Director, Media & Marketing

Contact Information Main Phone: (386) 226-6049 Ad Manager: (386) 226-7697 Fax Number: (386) 226-6727 Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Business Manager Photography Editor Advertising Manager

Andy Lichtenstein/The Avion Newspaper

Grady Delp Correspondent Last Monday, our campus had the privilege of hosting Ann Romney as part of the prestigious President’s Speaker Series. Much of the interview dealt with her battle with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and how it affected her life, her family and her relationship with her husband, the former presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney. Much can be said about Ann Romney, but if I had

to describe her in one word, I would use the word “humble.” Her experience with MS, as well as the stress and personal attacks her family underwent throughout several senatorial, gubernatorial and presidential elections; all have left a lasting impression on her. She realizes her place as a public figure, and rather than letting it affect her negatively, she is utilizing it to make a positive impact on the world. Despite a long period

of refusal to be its namesake, the Ann Romney Center for Neurological Diseases will be opening in the next few years. It will immediately become a hub for research on MS, ALS, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, with more than 250 scientists and researchers dedicated to the cause. Much of the information covered in the interview had also been covered in her book, which was published last month. Its title, “In This Together” even

stems from a conversation she and her husband had upon receiving her diagnosis. Their closeness supported her through her treatment, as did her love for equestrianism. Throughout her conversation with Marc Bernier, politics only served to guide the story of her life. Ann talked of its impact on her and her family, but in the end, I was left with a lasting impression that Ann Romney is someone to be respected, regardless of one’s political viewpoint.

Tri-Sigma’s 8th Annual Halloween Fashion Show

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The Avion is produced weekly during the fall and spring term, and bi-weekly during summer terms. The Avion is produced by a volunteer student staff. Student editors make all content, business and editorial decisions. The editorial opinions expressed in The Avion are solely the opinion of the undersigned writer(s), and not those of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Student Government Association, The Avion, or the student body. Letters appearing in The Avion are those of the writer, identified at the end of the letter. Opinions expressed in the “Student Government” and “Student Life” sections are those of the identified writer. Letters may be submitted to The Avion for publication, provided they are not lewd, obscene or libelous. Letter writers must confine themselves to less than 800 words. Letters may be edited for brevity and formatted to newspaper guidelines. All letters must be signed. Names may be withheld at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. The Avion is an open forum for student expression. The Avion is a division of the Student Government Association. The Avion is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The costs of this publication are paid by the Student Government Association and through advertising fees. The Avion distributes one free copy per person. Additional copies are $0.75. Theft of newspapers is a crime, and is subject to prosecution and Embry-Riddle judicial action. This newspaper and its contents are protected by United States copyright law. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in print or electronically, without the expressed written consent of The Avion. Correspondence may be addressed to: The Avion Newspaper, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, Florida 32114. Physical office: John Paul Riddle Student Center, Room 110. Phone: (386) 226-6049. Fax: (386) 226-6727.

Billy Nguyen/The Avion Newspaper Above are highlights from Tri-Sigma’s 8th Annual Fashion Show. Thanks to the hard work of everyone involved, the show went off without a hitch. The costumes were awesome and extremely creative. Everybody who attended enjoyed the show and there was a large turn-out to support Tri-Sigma.

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Enviromental Awareness Committee Alex Horvath COA Representatitive The SGA Environmental Awareness Committee is committed to improving and advocating for environmental stewardship on the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University campus at Daytona Beach, FL. One way that we are seeking to accomplish this is through a completely new competition, called the Greenovate Challenge on Connections. The purpose of this challenge is to seek out students’ creative ideas about how the school could be made more environmentally friendly. Students are encouraged to collaborate with one another and professors in order to develop their concepts. Some project ideas that can be used include: 1. More and high-

er quality bike racks to encourage students wto bike to school 2. Zip cars (that can be rented by the hour 3. Renewable energy sources such as solar The contest will be judged by a panel of professors and the winning design may be financed so that the concept can be implemented on campus. Students who are interested should come to the SGA office front desk to take out an application packet. The packets should be returned before 5 PM on Friday, November 20th with all parts of the application filled out. Should you have any questions, feel free to contact Nishigandha Kelkar at kelkarn@my.erau. edu, Alex Horvath at horvata1@my.erau. edu, Austin Leach at leacha5@my.erau.edu or Lonnie Marts III at MARTSL@my.erau.edu.

The Environmental Awareness Committee will have a First Friday Campus Clean-up on November 6th. The clean-up will last from 8 am to 5 pm. Trash bags and gloves will be available at the SGA office front desk. Students who are interested in keeping Embry-Riddle clean should sign in and sign out, along with listing any organizations that they are affiliated with. Students should also list their email addresses so that they can be contacted the following week to pick up meal plan vouchers for their work. The Environmental Awareness Committee also meets from 2-3 pm in the SGA Vice President’s Office. If you are interested in attending, email one of the members listed above and we would be happy to hear your ideas!

Presents

2015-2016

Scott Dikkers, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Onion

The Funny Story Behind the Funny Stories

Tuesday, November 3, 2015 • 7:30 PM FREE ADMISSION

Willie Miller Instructional Center, Lemerand Auditorium Embry-Riddle Campus 600 South Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach

For Information: (386) 226-6650

Get to Know your SGA Gordon Schley Student Finance Board Junior/Aeronautics Fellow Eagles! My name is Gordon Schley and I’m native to Savannah, Georgia. This is my third year at Embry-Riddle where I’m studying Aeronautics. I always wanted to be involved with aviation and this is the place for it! In high school, I loved being a part of student government. I wanted to continue to be involved, so I joined FYI, which peaked my interest in SGA. I want to make student life better here on campus and I look forward to helping others. I hope to bring new input and ideas to the SFB to benefit students. Since coming to Embry-Riddle I have gotten involved not only in the Greek community, but also the athletic community. Through the cheerleading team and my Fraternity, I’m gaining leadership experience I never thought possible. I like to make people happy by brightening their day. I encourage anyone and everyone to come talk to me if you’re ever in need. Also, please feel free to address any concerns or ask any question you may have.

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Read & Heed Continued from A1 >> The handbook includes the Honor Code philosophy, a visual diagram of the code violation process, student rights and responsibilities, pre-hearings conferences, and types of hearings. There is also a list of possible sanctions if a student is found responsible for any violations of university policy, academic or otherwise. Just so you know, the otherwise violations are quite numerous and cover a wide variety of offenses. There are also some which can be subjectively interpreted (more on this later) and even one that can hold students responsible for their inactions. The bottom line - information about the due process students are afforded is available, but students have the responsibility to avail themselves of it. However, that door swings both ways and the university has to adhere to the process as well. To illustrate, let’s look at the following. You are notified of an academic violation and assigned a pre-hearing conference with an adjudicating officer. The pre-hearing is for informing you of what you have been charged with, reviewing your rights/responsibilities/appeals process (which must be read and given to you) and addressing any questions you may have. Even though the circumstances may be intimidating, the officer should not intimidate you by their actions. Having been said officer in the past, I will use myself as an example of what cannot be done. I should not intimate your guilt/innocence or say that, because I am an attorney, you stand little or no chance against me, should you take the case to the Honor Board and I be bringing the case against you. Nor should I make any personal remarks regarding your attitude, body language, or manner of speaking. As to the latter, there is no reason to speak in a rude, abrasive or offensive manner, by either side. This is an adversary process, and you can zealously advocate on your own behalf, but neither you nor I need not be adversarial. To guard against being intimidated or disrespectful, I recommend you take someone to the pre-hearing with you. Whether it is the advocate you may ultimately use at a hearing or just a friend, take someone to witness the proceeding to just be there to hear what and how something is said. Should a pre-hearing officer overstep their responsibilities, I am not sure of any potential remedies. I would argue the process has been compromised and whatever the charges against you should now be dismissed. Counter-argu-

Student Life ments and alternatives abound, but the focus of this article is on you, and as I am advocating on your behalf... so charges dismissed. In the alternative, I would argue you are able to bring this to the attention of the honor board, ask for a judgment on your behalf or at the very least ask the actions of the officer be considered to mitigate the sanctions against you. An advocate or someone at the pre-hearing would be able to testify to what was said or how you were treated. Otherwise, the pre-hearing can conclude with you taking responsibility for your actions and accepting the recommended sanctions. Depending on it being a first or second offense, the sanctions range from a verbal warning, failure of the assignment or course, or a variation thereof. Be advised there are monetary sanctions as well. Taking responsibility for your actions will close the case and result in you forfeiting the right to appeal. If you feel strongly about your case you have the right to a formal hearing, it goes off to a student court, administrative or honor board hearing. Regarding pre-hearings or full hearings, there are a couple issues I have noticed which are problematic. One is timing. Currently, there is no specific time frame to begin and ultimately conclude the administrative process up through the pre-hearing. Subsequently, there is no set time between the conclusion of a pre-hearing to the commencement of the full hearing. I have been involved in cases where there have been as little as two to three days between the two events. I understand that the severity or timing of an alleged violation during the semester are factors and could affect the process, and even may necessitate compressing the scheduling, but at this point there are no guidelines. As I will expound below, the practical result is this may not bode well for you, unless you are extremely vigilant. At the full hearing stage, there are some things of which you need to be very cognizant. One is the right to have an advocate to assist you in preparing for the hearing. As previously mentioned, I suggest, even though it is not stated as such, you exercise this right at the pre-hearing stage. As such, I strongly urge you contact the Student Court, another student, faculty member or anyone else you believe could successfully advocate on your behalf. The process does not allow for the advocate to speak in the hearing, but having someone on your side helps mentally and emotionally, and will help calm your nerves and

broaden your perspective. You also have the right to present any evidence on your behalf. This includes witnesses, written statements or other written documentation. What is problematic is the timing I mentioned above. If you only have two days, with classes, work and other circumstances related to college students, it could be a challenge to procure this information. This comes up again as another right you have, which is to have access to the information your opposing adversary will use against you. Those documents may have people you would like to call as a witness, even if not being called by the other side. The board’s decision will be determined using a preponderance of the evidence standard, and the burden of proof falls to whoever is advocating against you. This standard is defined in the Student Handbook as meaning it is “more likely than not” you did/did not do whatever you have been charged. You need to realize this is not necessarily a very high standard to meet. As such, being able to challenge and refute the evidence against you and provide evidence in your favor is key, but it takes time to acquire or analyze, so be forewarned. Another matter related to documentary evidence I have seen is that names may be redacted from documents used against students. It is claimed that this action protects anonymity, which I understand, but if these people made testimonial statements against you, it would appear to me that you have the right to question them regarding the content and context of their comments. As related to time restraints, there is also the issue when attempting to acquire any available video or other digital evidence to be used in your defense. Obviously, you would need to know who has the information you need and the process and time issues involved for it to get from the source to you. If time becomes an issue, I would think you have to raise said issue prior to or during your hearing. If it is not able to be secured within the time parameters driven by the hearing, my argument would be that it would be an issue you could raise on appeal as it relates to new evidence. Challenging those serving on the board hearing your case is another right you have. The board is usually comprised of a student Chief Justice, student associate justices, faculty, and university staff. One way to challenge would be to ask who would be serving and challenging their participation prior to the hearing (again a timing issue). Rarely is this is done, but this right could and should be exercised when

you see the board for the first time at the hearing. For example, if the alleged incident happened in a dormitory, you could ask if any member ever worked in any capacity in student housing, including specifically being a resident advisor. If so, you could ask them to recues themselves. If the incident involved campus security and safety, the inquiry would be if anyone is now, or has ever been, employed by them. A faculty member could be challenged if you have had either a negative or positive experience with them. A negative experience challenge speaks for itself. The positive experience challenge might not be as obvious. You may ask why would I want to get rid of a professor who loved me, whose course I aced and wrote my letter of recommendation? The answer is that you do not want to put that professor in the uncomfortable position of having to rule against you. It is not that anyone of the above could not render a fair and impartial ruling, no matter their position or relationship with you, but the point is to avoid the very appearance of impropriety, which benefits the totality of the process. At the conclusion of your Honor Board hearing, you will be notified of the findings

of the board. At best you could have been found to have committed no violations. Sanctions as numerated in the Student Handbook are numerous but should be directly related to your violations. Additionally you must be notified of the final decision within five working days, but could also be done verbally by the chairperson at the conclusion of your hearing. This is important as you then have two working days from the time of notification to file a written appeal. The bases for an appeal are very narrow, as it can only be done if any of your rights have been violated, or any new evidence not available at the time of trial should be considered. The claims must not be ambiguous, but very specific. Know also, the person hearing your appeal will be the Dean of Students. Not sure how appropriate you (or I) think that might be, but realize that is your last bite of the proverbial procedural due process apple. As to the violation of your rights, if your previously discussed intimidation argument fell on deaf ears at any stage of the proceedings, I contend it should be raised on appeal as a violation of your rights. Another violation may be adding additional charges from the conclusion of the pre-

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The Avion hearing to the beginning of the full hearing, thus preventing providing you sufficient notice to prepare a adequate defense. As to new evidence, that is the responsibility of Campus Safety and Security to vet. When they have completed their investigation, you should have access to their findings validating or nullifying the new evidence. However, this door swings both ways, as an opposing party could similarly bring new evidence for review. To conclude: I believe in due process. Due process in that if there is a process, everyone is protected by and responsible to it. I also believe in zealous advocacy. In all candor, what may be zealous defense of oneself to one, can be subjectively interpreted (mentioned previously) as disrespect to another, and, if you look closely in the Student Handbook, an honor code violation. However, knowing and understanding your rights is your responsibility and I encourage you to zealously advocate on your own behalf, or at the least ask someone to assist you. This article was meant to introduce and encourage you to learn the process and procedures, or at least understand they exist; but this is only the first step. You Now Know, so - Do...Well.

Space

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Comet Lovejoy Caught Spewing Alcohol Keenan Thungtrakul Correspondent While observing Comet Lovejoy from the Paris Observatory, astronomers watched the comet as it was releasing large amounts of ethyl alcohol and a type of sugar out into space. The discovery marks the first time that the same alcohol found in alcoholic beverages has been observed in a comet, adding to the evidence that comets could have provided the complex organic molecules necessary for life to gain a foothold on Earth. In a paper published on Oct. 23 in the journal Science Advances, lead author Nicolas Biver remarked that during its peak activity, Comet Lovejoy was releasing the equivalent of at least 500 bottles of wine every second. Along with the alcohol, the team discovered 21 other organic molecules in the comet gas, including a simple sugar known

as glycolaldehyde. These observations were made when the comet was passing closest to the sun, which was around the end of Jan. 2015. Using a 30-meter radio telescope located in the mountains of Spain, the team observed the comet glowing in the microwave spectrum. Each type of molecule glows at a unique and specific frequency in the spectrum, allowing the team to identify each molecule from the signature it was emitting towards the telescope. With advanced technology, the team was able to analyze a wide range of microwave frequencies simultaneously, which led to the discovery of several types of molecules spewing in different amounts within a short observation period. There are a number of scientists who think comets delivered the supply of the necessary molecules for life when they impacted the

Earth. The recent discovery in Comet Lovejoy and in other comets serves to support their hypothesis. The findings support the idea that comets carry very complex chemistry. “We’re finding molecules with multiple carbon atoms. So now you can see where sugars start forming, as well as more complex organics such as amino acids,” said Stefanie Milam of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, co-author of the paper on the findings. Similarly, in July, the European Space Agency reported that its Philae lander from the Rosetta mission, currently in orbit around a comet, detected sixteen organic compounds as it descended toward and bounced around the comet’s surface. The agency reports that some of the detected compounds play key roles in the creation of amino acids and nucleobases, the building blocks of DNA. The next step is to

Photo Courtesy: wikipedia.org Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) as photographed on Jaunary 19, 2015. The comet was spewing out the equivalent of 500 bottles of wine in ethyl alcohol per second during peak activity.

determine whether these complex molecules were part of the primordial dust cloud that birthed the solar system or part of the protoplanetary disk that orbited the young sun billions of years ago. Comets are thought

to preserve the material from these clouds, created when dust grains clump together and grow to form large rocks. These rocks are thought to have been part of the Late Heavy Bombardment 3.8 billion years ago when com-

ets and asteroids were impacting the young Earth in large numbers. Such comets like those being observed now could have been the ones that delivered the ingredients necessary for the emergence of complex life on Earth.

Comics and Games Launch Status Check

Visual checks suggest the cool bird has exited the launch zone. Tip the rocket sideways and resume the countdown -- weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re gonna go find it!

Before Next Issue: Enter The Avion puzzle contest! Submit your completed crossword puzzle to The Avion office in SC 110 before 5 p.m. Friday, October 2, to be considered. Only students are eligible, please bring your student ID with your crossword.