03 11 15 The Crimson White

WEDNESDA WEDNESDAY, AY, MARCH 11, 20 2015 12 21 2 1 | ISSUE ISSUE 103 VOLUME 121

SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SINCE 1894

Men’s Basketball M

7 Spring Break

8 Monologues

Th Alabama basketball team The starts the SEC Tournament on st TThursday when it takes on the Florida Gators. With junior th point guard Ricky Tarrant still po out with injury, the Crimson ou Tide will need freshman point Tid guard Justin Coleman. gu

With spring break in less than a week, many students are preparing to travel across the country, while some are opting to stay in town. Read our stories on how to stay safe while having fun.

In an effort to explore identity among a sea of 36,000 students, Me Too Monologues will feature performances of anonymously written student monologues Wednesday night.

MAKING HISTORY Elliot Spillers was elected president of the Student Government Association on Tuesday night. He will be the first black SGA president since 1977 and the first independent since 1987.

Read more on page 6.

INSIDE briefs 2 news 3 opinions 4 culture 8 sports 12

CONTACT email editor@cw.ua.edu website cw.ua.edu twitter @TheCrimsonWhite

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WEDNESDAY March 11, 2015

SCENE ON CAMPUS Craig Peacock, a senior majoring in communications from Montgomery serves his finished project, customized wooden states, which he creates and sells in his free time.

CW / Layton Dudley

P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 Advertising: 348-7845

EDITORIAL editor-in-chief Andy McWhorter editor@cw.ua.edu

managing editor Tara Massouleh

TODAY’S EVENTS

CAMPUS BRIEFS

Art gallery

Deputy Director Ivory Toldson to give lecture

WHAT: From the Alabama Oval: Paintings by Richmond Burton WHEN: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Sarah Moody Gallery of Art, 103 Garland Hall

production editor Sean Landry visuals editor Sloane Arogeti online editor Beth Lindly opinions editor Patrick Crowley chief copy editor Peyton Shepard news editor Rachel Brown culture editor Francie Johnson

Undergraduate exhibit WHAT: 2015 Annual BFA Juried Exhibition WHEN: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

WHERE: UA Gallery, Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center

sports editor Kelly Ward photo editor Pete Pajor video editor Patrick Maddox lead designer Ashley Atkinson community manager Alessia Grijalva

Discussion WHAT: “What’s it like being firstgeneration in graduate school?”

WHEN: 1-2 p.m.

WHERE: 3104 Ferguson Center

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creative services manager Hillary McDaniel 334.315.6068

is the community newspaper of The University of Alabama. The Crimson White is an editorially free newspaper produced by students.The University of Alabama cannot influence editorial decisions and editorial opinions are those of the editorial board and do not represent the official opinions of the University. Advertising offices of The Crimson White are in room 1014, Student Media Building, 414 Campus Drive East. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The Crimson White (USPS 138020) is published four times weekly when classes are in session during Fall and Spring Semester except for the Monday after Spring Break and the Monday after Thanksgiving, and once a week when school is in session for the summer. Marked calendar provided. The Crimson White is provided for free up to three issues. Any other papers are $1.00. The subscription rate for The Crimson White is $125 per year. Checks should be made payable to The University of Alabama and sent to: The Crimson White Subscription Department, P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487.

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Student recital WHAT: Arie VandeWaa WHEN: 5:30-6:30 p.m.

WHERE: 140 Recital Hall Moody Music Building

Sex week WHAT: Body Positivity WHEN: 7-8:30 p.m.

WHERE: 321 Lloyd Hall

Ivory Toldson, the deputy director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, will speak to faculty and students Wednesday as the keynote speaker for the sixth annual Discerning Voices Symposium. Toldson’s address is titled, “Debunking the Myths, Breaking the Barriers, and Building the School-to-College Pipeline for Black Males,” and will be given in Gorgas

Library Room 205 at 3 p.m. Wednesday. He has been named by Diverse Magazine as a 2013 Emerging Scholar, one of “30 leaders in the fight for black men” by Newsweek Magazine, and is the author of “The Breaking Barriers Series.”

Compiled by Heather Buchanan

UA System accepting abstract submissions for conference Abstracts submissions for the UA System’s 14th annual Research Conference are due March 16 at 5 p.m. at uashrc.cbhp.ua.edu. The conference will be held April 11, where researchers will present their findings in either a podium presentation or a poster

presentation. For questions, call (205) 348-5029 or email cbhp@ua.edu.

Compiled by Heather Buchanan

Randolph named SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year Senior Alabama basketball guard Levi Randolph was named the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year and a second team All-SEC honoree on Tuesday. Randolph, Alabama’s captain and a three-time Capital One Academic All-District IV First Team honoree, is only the second Alabama basketball player to earn the Scholar Athlete of the Year Award. On the court,

Randolph leads the Crimson Tide in scoring with 15.2 points per game, assists with 2.4 assists per game, 1.4 steals per game and 35.2 minutes per game. He also ranked second in rebounds per game with five.

Compiled by Kayla Montgomery

Women’s tennis ranked No. 6 in ITA rankings The Alabama women’s tennis climbed three spots in the ITA rankings on Monday after defeating then-No. 6 Georgia and Tennessee over the weekend. The team also has three singles players and a doubles team ranked nationally. The team knocked

off Georgia 5-2 on Friday and secured its sixth shutout of the season on Sunday against Tennessee.

Compiled by Kayla Montgomery

Softball ranked fifth in national polls Free tutoring WHAT: Walk-in Math Assistance WHEN: 7-9 p.m.

WHERE: 137 Osband Hall

Theater performance WHAT: Me Too Monologues WHEN: 7-9 p.m.

WHERE: Ferguson Center Theater

VISIT US ONLINE:

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Alabama softball is ranked at No. 5 in this week’s ESPN.com/USA Softball poll released on Tuesday. The team held its position for the third week in a row after a weekend sweep of Ole Miss, culminating with a perfect game by

sophomore right-hander Sydney Littlejohn. Alabama will take the road this weekend for a threegame series against the University of Georgia.

Compiled by Kayla Montgomery

Men’s track and field ranked No. 11 In the final indoor season’s U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I rankings released Monday, the men’s track and field team sits at No. 11, while the women’s team has the 28th-most

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points in the ranking. The NCAA Indoor Championships will be held Friday and Saturday at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

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Editor | Rachel Brown Newsdesk@cw.ua.edu Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Journalism students travel abroad to England, Wales Alpine Living Magazine heads to the U.K. for its 6th edition featuring travel writing

By Alaina Upman | Contributing Writer

University of Alabama journalists are currently on a two-week expedition to England and Wales to collect stories for the Alpine Living Magazine. CW / Rachel Brown

Spring

Break Are you ready for Spring Break?

Check here for everything you need!

Conquer the beach in style.

France, Germany and Italy.”

Before the team arrived in London, University of Alabama journalists the journalists had already set up are currently on a two-week expedi- interviews and tours to help prepare tion to England and Wales to collect them for the stories they will cover. stories for the sixth edition of the When not on an assignment, they have the opportunity to explore their Alpine Living Magazine.

Alpine Living is an international new surroundings.

“Basically, we find really cool travel magazine produced and edited solely by UA journalism students as places that aren’t always in the maina showcase of their writing and pho- stream of where we go,” Gwarjanski tography skills. Every other year, said. “We try to profile these difstudents travel near mountainous ferent places and give them a little regions around the world to create more coverage.”

Gwarjanski said eating at Dans the magazine. This year, the group Le Noir restaurant in London was a made their first stop in England. new experience Anna Rae for her. Dans Le Gwarjanski, manNoir serves their aging editor, and guests in comCollin Curry, ediplete darkness, tor-in-chief, are taking away the two of 14 journalsense of sight so ists on the team.

Basically, we find really that you can only Both Gwarjanski cool places that aren’t always use your audiand Curry are tory and tasting first-year graduin the mainstream of senses, she said. ate students at the Curry is curwhere we go.

University studyrently working ing journalism.

We try to profile these different on a soccer story.

Gwarjanski said He said the soctravel writing is places and give cer culture story a career both she them a little will be one of and Curry want the big features to pursue after more coverage in the magazine, they graduate. b e c au s e soc“We were both — Anna Rae Gwarjanski — cer was inventa part of the last ed in England. issue to Spain,” Passionate fans Curry said. “Anna in the United Rae was a phoKingdom have tographer, and established their I was a writer.

Since we’re in grad school now, own culture of soccer, Curry said.

“When deciding where we wanted we decided to give it another go in to go this year, the main challenge leadership roles.”

Curry said the student journalists with looking at the U.K. was trying raised funds to publish the maga- to find the mountainous region,” zine with assistance from Wilson Gwarjanski said. “Collin will be Lowrey, journalism professor and doing a trekking story in Snowdonia department chair, and Kimberly National Park in Wales, where we Bissell, associate dean for research, will be climbing Snowdon, the highjournalism professor and director of est peak in the U.K. That’s where the Institute for Communication and we will bring in the Alpine part of the magazine.”

Information Research.

After a stop in Manchester, Alpine “I honestly don’t think there’s any Living will arrive in Snowdonia. Most other program like this,” Curry said.

The fifth edition of Alpine Living of the group will climb Snowdon on was approximately 150 pages and this March 16, while others will work on year’s issue will be approximately 90 various assignments throughout Wales, Curry said. pages, Gwarjanski said.

Upon their return from the U.K., “We’ve done most of western Europe so far for Alpine the journalists will write and edit Living,” Curry said. “We’ve done for two weeks. After this two-week Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and period, they will send their work to Switzerland. The first couple of a publisher and hopefully distribute issues all had to do with the Alps the magazine during finals week, because they go into Switzerland, Gwarjanski said.

4

Editor | Patrick Crowley Letters@cw.ua.edu Wednesday, March 11, 2015

COLUMN | SELMA

In wake of Selma, embrace equality LEIGH

Terry Staff Columnist

Tribune News Service

COLUMN | SELMA

On 50th anniversary, Selma merits conversation MARY CATHERINE

Connors Staff Columnist

I did not have the opportunity to see President Obama speak last Saturday in Selma on the anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.” Yet the glorious power of YouTube and a filmy Mac screen allowed me to watch the president stand in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge and summarize the last 50 years of both victories and setbacks that surround our current state of racial equality. In his speech, President Obama assumed a less-thanpresidential demeanor and was real and raw in his manner. He let down any glossy, well-coached exterior that he still carries at this point in his term and spoke to the people in a way that makes me think of him as a president and a person instead of categorically as a politician.

President Obama even shared the spirit of Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr. who stood on the same bridge two days after the original march from Selma. “For we believe in the power of

an awesome God, and we believe in this country’s sacred promise,” said the President.

I truly appreciate the president’s trip to Selma. He remembered that our most recent battles in war do not deal with ammunition or foreign lands, but in a “clash of wills; a contest to determine the meaning of America.” He refers to both past and current battles for civil and human rights.

After pictures were posted to various news sources and social media, it was clear that the trip to Selma was for a purpose beyond the events of 50 years ago. Citizens wore T-shirts with the names of the victims of Ferguson.

Two women held signs in the air that called for immigration reform and “solidarity.” Other men trailed down the road marching-band style, holding a large sheet of butcher paper that cited a need for improving the rights of previously-incarcerated people. A compilation of these pictures describes a sort of meeting of the minds for modern civil rights activists.

“And with effort, we can protect the foundation stone of our democracy for which so many marched across this bridge – and that is the right to vote,” Obama said.

With this, the President moved from

the past to the modern 2015. The Los Angeles Times, among other publications, noted how strange it is that the bridge stands for an epic struggle for the right to vote, yet we as a country still have some of the lowest voter turnout rates for a democracy, hovering around 60 percent according to FairVote.org. Although we don’t enforce voting like some other countries, thinking about Selma makes this percentage seem a little embarrassing. Our own University’s voting turnout is about half that at 30 percent.

These issues do not isolate themselves to Selma – or even Alabama. Recent events have marked that these issues include every state and city. Just last week on the popular television show “Scandal,” Kerry Washington acted in an episode mimicking the events of Ferguson.

Speeches about Selma, whether they were made at the 2015 Oscars or at the foot of the famous bridge itself, are important for current discourse. We must continue the conversation – in whatever medium it delivers.

Mary Catherine Connors is a sophomore majoring in economics and mathematics. Her column runs weekly.

EDITORIAL BOARD

WE WELCOME YOUR OPINIONS

Andy McWhorter editor-in-chief Sloane Arogeti visuals editor Tara Massouleh managing editor Beth Lindly online editor Sean Landry production editor Peyton Shepard chief copy editor Patrick Crowley opinions editor

Letters to the editor must contain fewer than 300 words and guest columns fewer than 500. Send submissions to letters@cw.ua. edu. Submissions must include the author’s name, year, major and daytime phone

number. Phone numbers are for verification and will not be published. Students should also include their year in school and major.

The Crimson White reserves the right to edit all guest columns and letters to the editor.

The 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday was commemorated with much fanfare in Selma, Alabama, this past weekend. The coverage of this event focused on unity, bravery and understanding rather than on the polarization, partisan vitriol, hatred and demonization that is commonplace in our media.

Bloody Sunday led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act not solely because of the brutality of that day, but because the victims of that brutality struck a chord of empathy in many Americans. Today, many of the social issues we debate are not as simplistic as they were in 1965. They are not black and white, good and evil, dominance and subordination. However, as our cultural divides have grown more complex, we seem to have lost an important tool needed to cope with our disagreements: empathy.

This lack of empathy is displayed even by the name we give our differences: “the culture wars.” While we may be divided, while we may strongly disagree, while we may stand on our principles and be unmoved, as long as we are Americans, we are not at war with our neighbors. This absence of war is not guaranteed. It is contingent on our ability to maintain peace through mutual understanding.

Selma is not just a place. It is not just a time.

It is not just an event. Selma is a state of mind that occurs when we recognize the value of our fellow citizens even if we disagree with their beliefs. It is the state of mind we need to realize that people who believe abortion is murder and those who believe it’s the medical right of every woman can both be kind citizens who contribute to the strength of our society. It is the state of mind we need to be able to say to both the parents of Tamir Rice and the families of NYPD Officers Ramos and Liu, “I’m sorry for your loss.” It is the state of mind we need to recognize that there are pains from being unable to marry who you choose and that there are pains from compromising deeply held religious beliefs.

When an event happens that makes us want to reach for hate, to Selma we must go. We must return to a time when we experienced more civil strife than at any point in our history excepting only the Civil War, and we must decide again, as our forefathers did, not to go to war against our neighbors. If we can do this then no matter the size of the gulf that divides us, we as a society shall overcome.

As we open the pages of a new chapter of SGA on our campus today, The University of Alabama must also go to Selma. We must forgive each other the wounds inflicted during a passionate campaign and re-extend the bonds of friendship, trust, and empathy to each other.

Off to Selma we go.

Leigh Terry is a junior majoring in economics.

Her column runs biweekly.

Last Week’s Poll: Which SGA presidential candidate do you plan to vote for?

(Stephen Keller: 40%) (Elliot Spillers: 55%) This Week’s Poll: Should Anthony Grant be fired? cw.ua.edu

5

OPINIONS Wednesday, March 11, 2015 COLUMN | DIVERSITY

Zendaya’s red carpet hairstyle proponent for appreciation of all beauty

VEL

Lewis Staff Columnist

I did not watch the Oscars a few Sundays ago, but I did find myself scrolling through red carpet pictures, gazing at the glamor and lavishness of Hollywood’s best and finest stars. What really caught my eye were the number of black women on the red carpet wearing their natural hair or wearing protective hairstyles.

I saw Viola Davis from the hit show “How to Get Away with Murder” proudly flaunt her natural hair on the red carpet as well as Zendaya rocking super-long dreadlocks that were not only classy, but beautiful.

Seeing the wonderful representations of black women flaunting their beautiful hairstyles was refreshing and inspiring to me. That is why hearing that others did not see this as positive struck a chord with me.

Giuliana Rancic made offensive comments on the E! television show “Fashion Police” about Zendaya’s dreadlocked hair, stating, “I feel like she smells like patchouli oil ... or maybe weed.”

How can you compare a hairstyle someone is wearing to their character, morals and beliefs?

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Sure, there are certain widely-accepted negative connotations associated with certain hairstyles such as afros, dreadlocks, and the kinky, coily textures of some African-American and minority hair. These hairstyles have been called unprofessional, nappy and disgusting. But why is this?

Why is the natural hair texture of some considered undesirable while others are considered beautiful?

Rancic’s comments were inappropriate, unwarranted and exactly why black women have struggled so hard to accept themselves fully.

These representations of black women accepting themselves and their hair not only serve as role models for young girls and women internally battling themselves for self acceptance but also allow for them to see the beauty in themselves. Comments such as Rancic’s have the potential to halt any gains made toward self-acceptance for many women.

What Zendaya did next to prevent this was extremely important. She stood up for her hairstyle and the beauty of AfricanAmerican hair and women. In a tweet she said, “There is already harsh criticism of African-American hair in society without the help of ignorant people who choose to judge others based on the curl of their hair.

My wearing locs on an Oscar red carpet was to showcase them in a positive light, to remind people of color that our hair is good

enough.” If you have time, take a look at the response in its entirety.

Black women have always had pressures to conform to an unattainable beauty standard, a standard that tells us we are not considered equal to others. This can be easily observed at many retail stores that have segregated hair product aisles that label one section as “hair care” but label products for minorities as “ethnic hair care,” further reinforcing separation in beauty.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

We have all heard this, but why is it that we expect others to live up to the beauty standards that we create when everyone each holds their own set of values and beliefs. But for many women, what they consider beautiful unfortunately does not include themselves.

Many of us have even struggled with determining our own identity. When others consistently tell you that what you were born with is not considered beautiful, then you will do close to anything to become acceptable. Even if that means losing who you are in the process.

Growing up I had my fair share of harmful relaxers to get my hair straight, and I straightened my hair every day because I wanted to fit in with all of my friends.

Through those years of masking the curls growing out of my head, I felt that I lost a sense of who I was because I was trying to fit a mold, a standard that was not me.

Over the years of my natural hair journey, I have found my friends still talk to me no matter what style my hair is in. It was actually me who did not accept my hair, who felt uncomfortable for fear of rejection by those around me, but really they were the ones who encouraged me.

The recent natural hair movement has given many women the confidence to put down the flat irons and stop the chemical straightening products and embrace the hair that they were born with. It is a beautiful thing, really.

I applaud Zendaya for taking a stand at another backhanded attempt to make members of our society feel inferior. Hair is hair. It comes in all textures, lengths and colors. This diversity does not mean that one hair type is better than another; they each have their own positives and negatives. Since Zendaya’s response, Rancic has apologized, but now we can openly discuss how standards of beauty affect and harm members of our society. May we all learn from this example and learn to embrace the diversity of beauty in our world. For true growth of a society cannot be achieved through the solemn tolerance of the majority, but the combined effort of all.

Vel Lewis is a junior majoring in public relations and political science. Her column runs biweekly.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

Media Planning Board invites applications for these positions for the 2015-16 academic year

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6

NEWS

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Spillers wins 8,602 votes to secure SGA presidency

By Katie Shepherd and Alana Norris | CW Staff

Spencer Cornelius, a junior majoring in communications studies, said In Elliot Spillers’ words, third time’s Spillers’ election caused him to think a the charm. lot about the slaves that built this uniAfter two failed SGA elections versity and this country. He said there in previous years, Spillers was will never be any progress until peoelected president of the SGA on ple understand how history and the Tuesday night. present are linked.

A campaign member was alerted of “To see a black man who deserves to the victory through a GroupMe mes- be president ascend to one of the highsage that was sent out after Spillers, est student positions at this university a junior majoring in business man- felt unreal,” Cornelius said. agement from Pelham, Alabama, got Cornelius said he credits Spillers’ the call while at Chipotle. Tuomey infectious personality for not letting Hall, where Spillers’ campaign him get pessimistic about the camgathered, immediately erupted in paign. He said he never personally ran cheers. Campaign manager Mark for office because he never thought Hammontree called Spillers to confirm he could win, but Spillers’ victorious the news. campaign is an inspiration to him.

Spillers joined his supporters sev“Elliot is a symbol. He represents eral minutes later with high fives and what is possible for people who have hugs all around. historically been treated like second “We did it,” Spillers said. “It was a class citizens,” Cornelius said. collective effort. Thank you. We all Spillers said he is honored to be did it.” elected, and sees it as a blessing. He Spillers won the election with 8,602 credits his victory to the strength votes, 2,273 more than his opponent, in diversity.

Stephen Keller.

“My team is comprised of Greek He said his work starts tomorrow, leaders, Honors College, indepenand he will be appointing team mem- dent leaders across campus, athletes, bers and orgaeveryone is repnizing their next resented, which plan of action. He is exactly what I said he sees his want to have the election as a colseen as going My team is comprised of Greek SGA laboration, not an forward,” he said. individual victory. leaders, Honors College, Spillers said he “I have to appoint hopes to continue independent leaders across my team and get his relationship all of this togethwith Keller. campus, athletes, everyone is er, because this that represented, which is exactly what he“Irantoldan him is a team effort,” amazing Spillers said. “This I want to have the SGA seen as campaign and that is something that it was an honor and going forward. was a team effort a privilege to do it going in and it’s a second time with going to be a him again,” Spillers — Elliot Spillers — team effort going said. “We plan to throughout this meet up soon to entire year. I need talk about how we to have the best will work together around me to lead and better campus.” me and to give me experience that Sparkling cider and chips were I lack.” out, but Spillers was already thinking Hammontree said he feels Spillers’ about the future, organizing his team election is a sign that this campus has while the rest of the crowd celebrated. been poised for something great for Across campus, the Keller campaign a long time, and tonight was a huge received bad news. step forward.

Keller received a phone call at 7:33 Mary Lieb, a junior majoring in p.m. from Kelli Knox-Hall, advisor to advertising and communications stud- the SGA Elections Board, informing ies, said she was inspired by Spillers’ him that he had lost the election. passion to unite people when she met “We lost,” Keller, a junior majorhim during her freshman year. She ing in finance and economics, said said she has embraced his ability to to a dining room full of anxious supmake the people around him thrive. porters at the Delta Kappa Epsilon “He has worked tirelessly the past fraternity house. three years to foster relationships with After a few minutes of shocked people all across campus,” Lieb said. silence, both Keller and his public Lieb mentioned the concerns some relations director, Mackenzie Brown, had about Spillers’ lack of official SGA abruptly exited the room, leaving supexecutive positions. She said the SGA porters in a state of disbelief. Members is not run by one person, but by a team of DKE and various Keller campaign of people, and she sees Spillers’ elec- supporters continued to hover in the tion as a breath of fresh air that will lobby of the building and at tables act to question some of the long-stand- around the room. ing behaviors of this campus and make Several minutes later, Keller it more inclusive. returned to share thanks, hugs and

Stephen Keller lost the SGA presidential election to Elliot Spillers, who garnered 2,273 more votes than Keller.

CW / Layton Dudley

handshakes with his supporters.

The Keller campaign refused to comment at the time of the announcement, but reached out to The Crimson White at 8:18 p.m. through a texted statement from Brown.

“First and foremost I’d like to congratulate my opponent on an excellent campaign and his victory this evening,” Keller’s statement read. “I’d like to also thank my friends and campaign staff for their dedication and hard work during this process. Thank you to everyone who supported and voted for me. I look forward to another great year at the Capstone and once again thank you all for your support.”

Keller currently serves as vice president of student affairs for SGA for the 2014-2015 academic year, but upon his defeat in this election, he will not hold an SGA position next year.

This year’s SGA elections showed a nearly 11 percent increase in voter turnout from the 2014 elections, with a total of 14,931 votes cast, 4,655 more than in 2014. With the University’s total undergraduate enrollment for the 2014-2015 academic year at 36,155, this means that 41.3 percent of students

voted in this year’s election, up from last year’s 30.74 percent. Additionally, this represents nearly a 61 percent increase in voter turnout from the 2013 SGA presidential election.

Andrew Parks, a senior majoring in political science and the director of political advocacy for the United Alabama Project, an organization that aims to increase political participation among the student body, said the increase is good news for the University.

“We at the United Alabama Project are absolutely delighted and very proud to see the significant increase in voter turnout compared to that of previous years,” he said. “We believe this signifies the substantial progress made on campus in fighting voter apathy this year, and adds to an already historic occasion. We look forward to continuing our work ensuring that all students find equal representation in our Student Government Association, and have a substantive opportunity for involvement at The University of Alabama – a direction in which an incredible first step has been taken tonight.”

7 Tips for a happy, healthy spring break week WEDNESDAY March 11, 2015

Tuscaloosa spots to keep in mind over spring break

By Cokie Thompson | Staff Reporter

For many students, spring break can be an opportunity to travel, hit the beach or visit family at home. However, for students staying in town for the week, Tuscaloosa offers a variety of spring break activities to enjoy.

Sarah Kathryn Bonds, seen hugging Chewbacca on the right, went with friends to Disney World last year for spring break. Photo Courtesy of Sarah Kathryn Bonds

Travel safety should be a priority over spring break

By Elizabeth Elkin | Staff Reporter

wearing your seat belt, not driving under the influence, obeying the speed Next week is the week many stu- limit and waiting for trains before dents look forward to all semester: crossing the tracks.

“The train always wins,” she said. spring break. Many students will leave Ansley also gave advice for students campus and travel all over the U.S. and traveling alone. the world.

“Don’t let vehicle maintenance “I’m going to go to Nashville for a few days because my aunt and uncle slide,” she said. “Roadside breaklive there,” said Justin Chambers, a downs may seem like the stuff of yesfreshman majoring in management teryear, but they happen all the time, and information systems. “I’ll see and they’re usually preventable by them, go to a Nashville Predators hock- prudent maintenance.”

Ansley also advisey game, so that’ll es that students be fun. You know, keep their car batreally just eat tery in shape, check some good food their tire treads and explore the ... we hope that people will and air level, get a Nashville area.” make informed decisions professional’s opinSarah Kathryn ion on all vehicle Bonds, a senior about driver abilities ... systems, keep their majoring in musidoors locked and cal theatre, will be — Haley Ansley — use a GPS to prevent traveling to pargetting lost. ticipate in the theFor current conatre department’s ditions on state, Senior Showcase.

U.S. and interstate “I’ll be in New York with Showcase, highways in Alabama, Ansley sugtrying to get agents,” gests students visit the ALDOT Road Conditions page online. she said.

The National Weather Service’s With many students traveling out of state, Alabama Department of six to 10 day outlook shows temperaTransportation Public Information tures will be in the normal range for Officer Haley Ansley encouraged stu- most of the South. Parts of Florida, dents to use caution with the increase northern Mississippi, and northern Texas may be slightly above normal in traffic volume over spring break.

“Don’t become a statistic,” she said. temperatures. Parts of southern Texas “As a responsible driver, we hope may be below normal temperatures. that people will make informed deci- The NWS also predicts mostly norsions about driver abilities, potential mal and below normal precipitation distractions and ways to stay safe on in the South. Parts of Florida and Georgia may see higher than norAlabama’s roadways.”

Ansley’s safety advice for stu- mal precipitation. For daily updates, dents traveling by car include always students can visit srh.noaa.gov/bmx.

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Visit Lake Lurleen

See a movie

Lake Lurleen is open 7 a.m. through sundown and contains 23 miles of multi-use trails. If you want to head out for the day, playgrounds and pavilions provide space to picnic and take a break from hiking, running or bike riding. For the more serious adventurers, the park features fishing piers, RV storage, boat rentals and boat-launch areas, and campsites.

If the snow days emptied the Netflix queue, check out some new movies coming out over the break.

Disney’s live-action “Cinderella” releases this Friday and “Insurgent,” the next installment in the “Divergent” trilogy, releases Friday, March 20. Use the week to catch up on other recent releases like “Focus,” “Unfinished Business” and “McFarland, USA.”

Amazon.com

CW / Pete Pajor

Go to a concert at the BJCC

VIsit downtown Tuscaloosa

Two concerts are coming to the Birmingham Jefferson Conference Center during the break.

Country singer Miranda Lambert is playing Thursday, March 19, along with another country artist, Justin Moore. Winter Jam, a Christian concert series, features Skillet, Francesca Battistelli, Family Force 5 and NewSong. Tony Nolan, evangelist and founder of TNT Ministries, will also be speaking at the show on Saturday, March 21.

Get outside the campus bubble and spend a day in downtown Tuscaloosa. Have lunch at Taco Mama and head over to one of several galleries downtown. The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center is currently featuring work by Tuscaloosa and University painters. The exhibit, titled Latitudes and Longitudes, contains work in oil, acrylic and watercolor. The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

8

Editor | Francie Johnson Culture@cw.ua.edu Wednesday, March 11, 2015

RecycleBama’s Instagram contest, introduced this semester, encourages campus-wide recycling and environmental awareness. CW / Danielle Parker

Students rehearse for Me Too Monologues, which explores the concept of identity by showcasing anonymously written monologues performed by students. Photo Courtesy of Jason Arterburn

Students explore facets of identity

By Becca Murdoch | Staff Reporter

With over 36,000 students at the University of Alabama, Me Too Monologues will explore identity through a collection of performed monologues at their upcoming event.

Me Too Monologues, which started at Duke University in 2009, showcases stories and experiences of members from the University community through anonymously-written monologues performed by students. Each monologue examines facets of identity often ignored or stigmatized in everyday life.

Jason Arterburn, a senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies, helped bring Me Too Monologues to the University after seeing a friend at Duke post about the event. Arterburn hopes Me Too Monologues will present a neutral space for exploration into the delicate territory of identity, he said.

“It’s the idea that people’s stories will be elevated and presented in a very vulnerable way,” Arterburn said. “Everybody knows that these stories are from the UA community, but no one has to come out and share them personally and face that vulnerability.”

Caroline Bechtel, a senior majoring in operations management, is the assistant producer of Me Too Monologues.

After Arterburn approached

PLAN TO GO WHAT: Me Too Monologues WHEN: 7 p.m., Wednesday WHERE: Ferguson Theater

Bechtel about bringing Me Too Monologues to The University of Alabama, they began working with other organizations on campus, including Creative Campus and Blend, to get a collaborative grant for the project.

“Having been on this campus for four years, I know that a lot of students feel alone,” Betchel said.

“Me Too Monologues is about showing students that they’re not alone in this process and that things will get better.”

Issues of identity are not often probed on campus due to strong historical and political legacies, Arterburn said.

“Identity is something much more complex than what we allow it to be at sometimes,” he said.

“We ignore the intersectionality of it, and many students lack the language or framework to express these nuanced parts of their identity.”

Bringing highly personal and emotional monologues to life can be a daunting task for performers. Maria O’Keefe, a senior majoring in history, had never acted before auditioning for Me

Too Monologues, but was drawn to the challenge, she said.

O’Keefe said she felt she needed to perform her chosen monologue because of the topic.

“I felt that connection, and I have to give it my all because these are someone else’s words, and you want to do them justice,” O’Keefe said.

The second part of Me Too Monologues is a talk-back dialogue portion, where the actors and production staff will engage in peer-to-peer discussion with the audience about any issues or ideas raised during the show.

Arterburn said that the talk back session will be organic and audience-led.

Arterburn, Bechtel and O’Keefe all said the primary goal of Me Too Monologues is to instill a sense of community at the University, and to remind people that they are not alone. Bechtel said she believes it is important for students to hear about what other people on this campus are experiencing, especially considering it might be their friend or classmate who wrote the monologue being performed.

“These monologues are real,” she said. “They’re not a fake show put on by adults trying to tell students how they feel.”

Me Too Monologues will take place in the Ferguson Theater on Wednesday at 7 p.m. For more information about the event, visit sodel.org/metoo or visit the event page on Facebook.

Get Your at 525 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (205) 752-6931

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SGA contest rewards students for recycling

By Mary-Catherine Hodges | Staff Reporter

When students pass over the trash bin with old test papers or used water bottles, RecycleBama encourages them to think again.

This semester, RecycleBama, a University of Alabama Student Government subcommittee, is holding a “Go Green” Instagram contest for students to encourage campus-wide recycling and environmental awareness.

Students can submit a “Go Green” photograph via Instagram, and submissions can feature students recycling or enjoying the environment on and around campus.

“The contest photos can be anything from taking your recycling to the bins in your dorm, or going on a hike on a nice day,” said Abigail Hawk, a freshman majoring in biology and marine sciences. “We really like to see the actual students in their pictures rather than just a landscape or something.”

To enter, students can post their pictures on Instagram using tag @recyclebama, @uasga and the hashtag #livecleanlivegreen.

“An ideal green picture of campus would be one that recognizes that environmental issues aren’t off in faraway places, they’re in our backyards,” said Alicia Ollis, a senior majoring in communicative disorders.

“By encouraging students to not only get out and enjoy our local environment through hiking, kayaking or simply taking a walk outside, we hope to build a sense of respect and responsibility between our campus and our city.”

According to an SGA press release, the Instagram competition will become a regular feature of RecycleBama, and students can participate in exchange for various prizes throughout the year.

“We strive to see RecycleBama become a campus-wide name in terms of an organization set out to make UA a more environmentally-friendly campus,” Ollis said.

The contest aims to create an appreciation for the global environment, and proactive thinking toward recycling, sustainable living and “green” issues. Winners are eligible to receive prizes such as a new Eno hammock, a $50 SUPe Store giftcard, RecycleBama T-shirt, CamelBak water bottle and more.

Stormwater runoff is the rain and melting precipitation that flows off streets, rooftops, lawns, and farmland. The flowing water carries salt, sand, soil, pesticides, fertilizers, leaves, oil, litter, and many other pollutants into nearby waterways. In developed areas much of the land is covered by buildings and pavement, which do not allow water to soak into the ground. Storm Sewers are used to carry the large amounts of runoff to nearby waterways.

9

CULTURE Wednesday, March 11, 2015

UA graduate pursuing film, television production degree

THEN

COLUMN | TV

NOW

Ellie Kemper plays Kimmy in “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” a new series from Tina Fey. Rotten Tomatoes Photo Courtesy of Brandon Sparks

Brandon Sparks was born and raised in Tuscaloosa. After graduating from the University last May, Sparks moved to Los Angeles to pursue his passion for film and storytelling at the University of Southern California.

“High school was where I found my passion; the University was where I was able to explore it, and USC is where I am honing it,” he said.

Sparks majored in telecommunication and film with a minor in theatre at the University.

He was involved with the local community theatre company Theater Tuscaloosa, where he learned about the skills and language of acting.

Additionally, he worked for the University in the Media Relations Department, gaining experience in public relations.

Sparks also co-founded the student group Crossroads Productions, in which student filmmakers are able to get together and collaborate on a variety of projects.

“I feel like I learned an incredible amount that I’m able to use as a storyteller and filmmaker–things that I do not think I could have gained anywhere else,” he said.

Sparks said his classes in the film and theatre departments were critical in becoming well-rounded and experienced.

“It’s always cool to hear from people in Los Angeles who say they wish they could have taken the classes I was taking,” Sparks said.

Photo Courtesy of Brandon Sparks

Sparks is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in film and television production at USC. He said the program is very competitive and is modeled after the film industry.

“If you really want to do this for a career, then you need to be able to be torn apart and have the ability to build yourself back up,” Sparks said. “You have to be mature about it all. It sets you up with great opportunities for your career.”

Through his current program said he has met a diverse group of talented storytellers who are pursuing the same dream that he is. Sparks said returning to Tuscaloosa over Christmas break was a surreal moment for him.

“The University will always be special to me because it was a place where I grew as a person,” he said. “It is weird thinking back to the person I was when I walked into my first class at Morgan Hall.”

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Netflix show brings laughs

By Noah Cannon

Lemon’s. “Schmidt” differentiates itself from 30 Rock, however, in its ceaseless Surviving 15 years in captivity at the optimism. Kemper has made a career playhands of a doomsday cult leader is hard- ing sunny supporting roles, but here she ly commonplace sitcom territory, but is given a lead character with the screen “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” the new time to ground her trademark hopeful show from Tina Fey, braves its dark subject energy in a place that is endearing and matter with bubbly self-assurance and a never repetitive. terrific performance by lead Ellie Kemper.

“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is not Kemper plays the eponymous Kimmy, without its shortcomings. Fey has encounwho, after being kidnapped in eighth grade tered trouble in the past for her jokes and held in a bunker with three other about race, most recently for a bit about women in an underground apocalypse Kim Jong Un at the Golden Globes, and cult, is finally seeing the light of day. Now her new show tackles the topic with mixed 29 years old, Kimmy is dead-set on making results. The show seems to it in Manhattan and experiwant to make subversive encing every bit of the world comments about race – one she was missing for 15 years. subplot finds Titus leaving Kimmy, armed with a back“Unbreakable Kimmy work in an elaborate werepack and light-up sneakers, wolf costume and discoverSchmidt” is a finds a grungy basement ing the experience safer and apartment with roommate more pleasant than walking charming and often Titus, a quippy aspiring in New York as a black, gay hilarious comedy. performer played by Tituss man – but, more often than Burgess, and off-kilter not, that subversion reads as landlady Lillian, played by more overtly racist than anyCarol Kane. thing else. Particularly cringeKimmy finds work – and the show inducing is a subplot involving Jacqueline, finds its strongest laughs – in the home played by a white actress, rememberof Jacqueline Voorhees, a wealthy ing her Native American upbringManhattanite played by Jane Krakowski. ing, and a love interest named Dong, a Jacqueline needs a nanny for her son and Vietnamese man in Kimmy’s GED class stepdaughter and finds one when Kimmy, who speaks in broken English and is like Fran Fine before her, happens to knock good at math. on her door. Krakowski nails her characDespite the occasional sour taste left ter’s dry wit and Xanax-tinged mania. by the show’s poor attempts at edgy comEven if Jacqueline is just a variation on mentary on race, “Unbreakable Kimmy Jenna (Krakowski’s brilliant character on Schmidt” is a charming and often hilariFey’s earlier show, “30 Rock”), she makes ous comedy. In a television landscape for funny television. filled with 30-minute comedies like “Girls” Fey created “Unbreakable Kimmy and “Looking” that are, well, not very Schmidt” with fellow “30 Rock” writer funny, Schmidt made me laugh out loud.

Robert Carlock, and the signature whirl- The show’s 13-episode first season was wind banter from that show is on display released in its entirety last week on Netflix here, as well. The density of the dialogue with another batch of episodes already and sheer number of gags in each epi- in the works. One would be hard-pressed sode make rewatching Kimmy’s adven- to find a better show to binge watch over tures as rewarding as rewatching Liz spring break.

10 Rowing looks to start spring season strong SPORTS

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

By Ben Boynton | Contributing Writer

The Alabama women’s rowing team starts its season off with the Cardinal Invitational Regatta in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, March 14 and 15.

This is the first regatta of the spring season, coming after a successful fall season that saw a strong finish at the Head of the Hooch Regatta in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Head coach Larry Davis said the regatta will be a tough test for the team.

“It’s something we’ve gone to the last three or four years, and it’s always a big challenge due to all the tough teams that are there,” Davis said.

Davis said he likes the toughness of the season opening regatta because it helps the team see where it stands at the start of the season.

The team has continued to prepare for the start of the season even though the weather doesn’t always let it practice on the river.

“With the weather, we’ve kind of been stuck on land, but we’ve been able to get into the water this week and settle into our lineups,” senior Melissa Etter said.

Since rowing is a team sport that requires synchronization and

The Alabama women’s rowing team will compete in its first regatta of the spring at the Cardinal Invitational Regatta in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. CW / Layton Dudley

cooperation, the team has been working on building chemistry.

“One thing that we’ve been working on is getting everybody to work together, trying to make sure that everyone can row well with everyone else,” senior Ashley Allison said.

Allison and Etter said they believe the team has been able to use the

Men’s tennis team travels

By Terrin Waack | Staff Reporter

The Alabama men’s tennis team hits the road for two SEC matches this weekend.

The men will travel to Auburn Friday for the Iron Bowl, then to Florida to face the Gators on Sunday. Because the team faces the Tigers first, that is the team that is in the forefront of coach George Husack’s mind. The key is to focus on one team at a time.

“Auburn is always a tough customer,” he said. “We’ll prepare the same way though.”

Husack said Saturday he plans to give the men a day or two off to recover from their previous matches, then it’s back to practicing and working on things that were noted during their previous matches.

He said he hopes the rain predicted for the week holds off.

“We want to play outside, but business as usual either way,” he said.

The Crimson Tide won its first SEC match this past weekend when it defeated then No. 9 Ole Miss.

“We finally broke through and got a good win,” junior Becker O’Shaughnessey said. “It’s been a while since we had, but I think we’ve jumped over that hump now and we’re just excited for the rest of the SEC.” Not only will Alabama face another SEC match-up, it will start off with Auburn – one of Alabama’s strongest rivals in the conference. The fact it is about to compete in the Iron Bowl has not slipped through the players’ minds.

“Everyone will be very excited of

time since the fall season ended in November to bond. Etter said she thinks the team’s new boathouse has helped the process.

“We’ve really gotten closer through winter training and having a boathouse that we can call home has helped bring us together,” she said.

Allison said she thinks this year’s

team might be the closest one she’s been a part of.

“We definitely have the best attitude right now,” she said.

“Throughout the offseason, you spend a lot of time indoors and it’s easy to get into individual mindsets, but this year we’ve really been competing with each other and worked on staying a team.”

The offseason hasn’t only been about getting closer together. The team has worked hard to get even better out on the water. It hits the water when the weather permits and has worked to carry over the success of the fall season. Davis said he hopes the speed of the fall transitions into the new season.

“We want to improve throughout the spring, and we want to be successful every time we go out on the water,” he said.

The Cardinal Invitational Regatta is one of five regattas the Crimson Tide will participate in this season before the Big 12 Championships in mid-May. Allison and Etter said they believe the team is ready to go out.

“The goal is always to go out there and do our best, but I think this year we’ve grown a lot as a team and just shown what we can do on the water,” Etter said.

GET SUITED UP FOR Spring Break

The men’s tennis team will travel to Auburn on Friday for the Iron Bowl and then to Florida to face the Gators on Sunday. CW / Layton Dudley

course,” freshman Korey Lovett said.

“We’re all just going to have to treat it just as another match and not get too amped up about it – just go out there and play like we have been.”

The team plans to keep doing what it’s doing and trust the process. Players hope to come out with a victory, O’Shaughnessey said, but if not, the men will keep plugging away.

“We’re just going to go and keep fighting like we are,” he said. “We’re getting closer and closer. We’re getting better and better.

The results are starting to show now.”

The Crimson Tide is currently 11-9 overall and 1-2 in the SEC. The men will face the Tigers on Friday and then the Gators on Sunday. Matches will begin at 4 p.m. and noon, respectively.

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12 Freshman Justin Coleman focused on future Editor | Kelly Ward Sports@cw.ua.edu Wednesday, March 11, 2015

By Sean Landry | Production Editor

Justin Coleman is small.

At 5 foot 10 inches and 160 pounds, the freshman point guard for Alabama might be the smallest player in the SEC. On his own team, the next biggest player is four inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than the Birmingham native. That’s starting point guard Ricky Tarrant, who comes in at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds – a full three weight classes heavier than Coleman, and with a body type much more typical of an SEC backcourt.

But Tarrant has been on the bench for the end of the season, nursing an unidentified leg injury he picked up in Alabama’s narrow loss to Florida on Jan. 27. With Tarrant out, junior guard Retin Obasohan has gotten the majority of the minutes, while Coleman continues his development.

It’s Tarrant’s and Obasohan’s team right now, but the future of Alabama basketball belongs to the freshman.

“We’ve got a lot of confidence in Justin,” Alabama coach Anthony Grant said. “We feel like all of our guys, from day one when we started practice, we’ve had to deal with minor injuries all year long that’s kept guys out for periods of time so different guys have had to step into different roles and Justin is one of those guys. We feel like he’s more than capable of providing what we need if we’re short handed going into

this next game.”

Statistically, the freshman has struggled, averaging 4.4 points and 1.4 assists per game this season, a stark drop-off for the former top recruit from the state of Alabama, who averaged 28 points per game his senior season in high school, but he said soon, all that will change.

“I’ve actually enjoyed it,” Coleman said.

“It’s been pretty rough, stats-wise, offensewise, but I’ve enjoyed it. I’m learning a lot from my teammates. I’m enjoying it.

The seniors we’ve got, man, they make it a lot of fun, and with the players around, I’m really enjoying it. It’s all about the off-season, how hard you work in the offseason. That’ll separate everybody in college, because everybody in college can do the same thing or even a little bit better. I just know in the off-season I’ve got to work a little bit harder – or a lot harder – than I did last season.”

Coleman’s high school coach, Cedric Lane, attributes his struggles to the change in role for Alabama. At Wenonah High School, Coleman was the offense. At Alabama, he’s expected to initiate. Since he joined Grant’s squad, he said, he’s learned to be a true point guard.

“It’s different in high school, because in high school we don’t have a shot clock,” Coleman said. “College is a big adjustment to the shot clock and playing within a offense. It’s been a tough adjustment.

Basically, it’s style of play and learning to play my position every day. As a freshman you learn something new everyday. That’s what I’m going through right now.”

Lane knows Coleman’s game. He’s been watching him for almost seven years now and won three consecutive state championships at Wenonah with Coleman from 2011 to 2013.

“Ever since I saw Justin play as a seventh grader, I knew he was good enough to start varsity,” Lane said. “It was because he worked so much on his game, he doesn’t have a weakness. He can shoot the ball anywhere on the floor, he can blow by anybody that tries to guard him because he has a quick first step. If you foul him, he’s gonna make the free throws, and if you foul him, he can make a three-point shot. He’s just unstoppable, man. He’s unstoppable when he’s put in a situation where he can just be free.”

His coaches and teammates said, Coleman is the definition of a gym rat.

Lane said he would call him Sundays to get in workout sessions after church.

“I would always ask my dad, ‘How can I get better?’ every day,” Coleman said.

“He would tell me certain things like jump rope, get extra shots in, do the things that other people don’t want to do. That’s when I built my work ethic. I really never based myself on being better than the people I was playing against. I was just trying to be

Freshman Justin Coleman drives the lane.

CW / Pete Pajor

a better Justin Coleman everyday than I was yesterday.”

Much of what the Alabama basketball team will look like in the future will come down to Coleman, who said fans can have simple expectations from the three-time state champion.

“To be the person I am, come in, run the team and win,” Coleman said. “That’s what I do most is win. That’s what everybody can expect.

“Just winning.”