PRACTICE NOTEBOOK Alabama preparing for 95th game against the Tennessee Volunteers SPORTS PAGE 8
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Serving the University of Alabama since 1894
Vol. 119, Issue 39
NEWS | GREEK LIFE
Fraternity pledge details UA’s culture of hazing They’re asked constantly as their schedules are consumed with the duties and hazing associated with pledgeship, “Who wants to drop?” By Ashley Chaffin Greek pledges at The Managing Editor University of Alabama live a life “Who wants to drop?” narrowly focused on making it They’re asked as they run to initiation into their fraternity of choice. For them, a word like errands. They’re asked as they do “drop” is used as a weapon, darphysically strenuous tasks on ing them to quit in front of their basement floors, “Who wants pledge brothers. “Basically, they tell us, like, to drop?”
Source talks physical, psychological abuse
the whole time we’re doing stuff they’ll be like, ‘Who wants to drop? Who wants to drop?’” a University of Alabama fraternity pledge told The Crimson White. “So they kind of like, put you on the spot. And at that point you’re thinking, ‘There’s no way I’m going to drop in front of all these people.’” The pledge asked to remain anonymous, expressing concern that he would face immediate retribution from his
fraternity if identified. He represents a group of pledges who, on Oct. 10, sent an anonymous email to The Crimson White saying the group has “reached our maximum, where we can no longer take the brutality of pledgeship and something must be done.” The email followed the University’s response to another anonymous email, which was sent on Sept. 16 to UA administrators, demanding changes
in pledgeship and threatening to take the issue to the national media. Less than 10 days later, the University suspended pledgeship for the week of Oct. 1-7. Dean of Students Tim Hebson said the action had nothing to do with that email. “We get letters all the time, and usually they mention specific incidents if there’s a problem, and that one didn’t mention any specific incidents,” Hebson said Oct. 8. “If I acted every time I got a
letter based on false information, I would be acting all the time. We only act on what’s factual.”
Physical Abuse The fraternity pledge who spoke on the condition of anonymity described a series of hazing incidents and said he witnessed another pledge with a head injury that appeared to be serious.
SEE HAZING PAGE 3
NEWS | CAMPUS CRIME CULTURE | TWITTER
Trending time together Lady Engineer unites peers on social media
2011 UAPD crime report sees liquor law violations fall violations has risen from 325 in 2008 to 583 in 2011. UA police Chief Tim Summerlin said this drop in arrests from 2010 to 2011 results By Adrienne Burch from a change in practice. Staff Reporter “When looking at methods In 2011, 922 reported acts of that change student behavcrime occurred on and around ior and lead to student sucThe University of Alabama cam- cess, we determined that our pus, according to the 2012 Annual in-house alcohol referral proCampus Security and Fire Safety grams through the Office of Judicial Affairs proved to be Report released last week. The majority of the reported one of the most successful,” crimes consist of liquor and drug Summerlin said. Corrective measures for a first violations, with 589 reported liquor law violations and 162 offense of liquor law violations drug law violations. Only 11 of the include a disciplinary warning, an alcohol reported crimes education workinvolved acts of shop taught by violence, includlaw enforcement ing five robberies, The majority of the reported officers, commuthree rapes and crimes consist of liquor and nity service and three aggravated drug violations, with 589 parental notificaassaults. reported liquor law violations tion if a student The UA police and 162 drug law violations. is under the age department of 21, Summerlin releases this said. report annually “We simply cut to outline safety policies and crime statistics out the middle man in referring for the campus. This report is students to the Office of Judicial required by federal law in com- Affairs,” Summerlin said. There were 68 burglaries on pliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security campus in 2011, with 60 of these Policy and Campus Crime occurring in UA residence halls. Unlike the number of liquor vioStatistics Act. Statistics for the last three lations, this is a decline from years are included for crimes the 97 burglaries that occurred that have occurred on campus, in 2008. Summerlin also said in off-campus buildings or on property owned or controlled no changes in the annual by the University and on public Campus Security and Fire property within or immediately Safety Report were a direct result of the shots fired on the adjacent to campus. UAPD reports 112 arrests for Strip in the spring of 2012 or liquor law violations in 2008 and the shooting at a downtown only six in 2012. However, the bar in July. number of disciplinary actions SEE CLERY ACT PAGE 5 or judicial referrals for liquor law
Referrals to Judicial Affairs replace arrests
By Abbey Crain Staff Reporter The last six years have seen Twitter progress from being a fringe site that many considered to be a place to post short replicas of Facebook status updates to a social media juggernaut. Now, more than half a billion Twitter accounts exist, and from tracking internship opportunities to getting international news updates the moment they’re available, UA students are using Twitter for more than keeping up with Justin Bieber’s daily goings on. Tina Sheikhzeinoddin, a junior majoring in civil engineering, has used her presence on Twitter to bring women engineers from all over the country together. Her account, @Lady_ Engineers, has more than 1,300 followers of women engineers, university engineering organizations and internship programs. “I was bored one night and made a fake account,” Sheikhzeinoddin said. “I was thinking about all of the things that are different with girl engineers and boy engineers. There are only seven or eight of us in my classes. We have shorter lines in the bathrooms, sometimes we can’t even find the bathrooms in a building.” SEE TWITTER PAGE 3 CW | Shannon Auvil, Photo Illustration CW | Mackenzie Brown
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NEWS | UNDERGRADUATE GROWTH
Out-of-state numbers growth may make admission for natives harder In-state students minority in 2012 freshman class, acceptance standards more selective By Sarah Elizabeth Tooker Contributing Writer With 55 percent of this year’s freshman class composed of out-of-state students, young Alabama residents may have reason to fear that The University of Alabama will become increasingly difficult to gain admission. Of the 6,397 in the entering er • Plea s
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freshman class, the University received more than 26,400 applications for admission, 17,799 of which came from states other than Alabama, UA spokeswoman Cathy Andreen said. The growing interest in the University from out-of-state students allows admissions requirements to become more selective year after year. According to the national ACT
INSIDE today’s paper
website, Alabama high school students average a composite score of 20.3. The University’s current freshman class, however, does not reflect the average statewide score. Both in-state and out-of-state students in the class contribute to an overall average composite ACT score of 25.6. While the University’s admissions webpage claims students applying with a 21 composite ACT score and a cumulative 3.0 GPA should be successful in admission, the figures do not
coincide with the statistics of a large portion of Alabama’s current freshman class. “Some 1,725 freshmen had high school grade point averages of 4.0 or higher,” Andreen said in a press release regarding freshman enrollment. While most public state schools initially formed to educate students living in the state, stringent admission policies have forced students to look elsewhere for their collegiate experience. Other SEC schools have
Briefs ........................2
Sports .......................8
Opinions ...................4
Puzzles......................7
Culture ...................... 6
Classifieds ................ 7
experienced the same issue in admitting the average statewide high school student. The University of Georgia accepted a current freshman class of 4,970 students with a mean GPA exceeding 3.8 and an average ACT score of 28, UGA Public Relations Coordinator Tracy Giese said. The figures do not match the average Georgia high school student, who acquires a mean ACT score of 20.7, according to the national ACT website. Georgia resident and UGA
WEATHER today
student, Stephanie Halpern, said while admission policies get stricter, the typical student population obtains a better reputation. “More students from my high school have been denied acceptance to UGA with extremely competitive credentials,” Halpern said. “I think admissions is actually boosting the quality and reputation of our school by attracting brighter students.”
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Wednesday 81º/59º Clear
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ON THE CALENDAR TODAY
WEDNESDAY
What: Dating and Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil
VISIT US ONLINE AT CW.UA.EDU
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @THECRIMSONWHITE
Page 2• Tuesday, October 16, 2012
What: Head to Toe Business Attire Seminar
Where: 120 Lloyd Hall
When: 6 - 7 p.m.
When: 4 - 5:30 p.m.
What: Xpress Night
What: Spanish Movie Night:
Chapel
When: 3 - 6 p.m.
A Breast Cancer Lecture
Where: Lloyd Hall
When: 6 - 9 p.m.
Where: Canterbury Episcopal
What: Our Stories Remember:
‘Zoot Suit’
Starbucks
What: Homegrown Alabama Farmers Market
Where: Denny Chimes
Where: Ferguson Center
THURSDAY
Where: Gorgas Library 205
When: 6:30 p.m.
When: 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. What: ‘Dance Alabama!’
What: Ullman/Swell Quartet
Where: Morgan Hall
Where: Moody Music Building
Auditorium
Where: Delta Zeta House
When: 7:30 p.m.
When: 7:30 p.m. P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 Advertising: 348-7845 Classifieds: 348-7355
What: Nachos for the Needy When: 11 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Submit your events to calendar@cw.ua.edu
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Will Tucker editor-in-chief editor@cw.ua.edu Ashley Chaffin managing editor Stephen Dethrage production editor Mackenzie Brown visuals editor Tray Smith online editor
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Obama vs. Romney: Round Two of the presidential debates
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HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney face off Tuesday in a “town hall” style debate that has the potential to finally break the race’s stubborn tie as their battle roars into its final, decisive three weeks. The 90-minute debate at Hofstra University, which begins at 9 p.m. EDT, comes with the two men neck and neck after Romney bested Obama in their first debate, gained in the polls and climbed back into contention. The result could hinge on the way the two men perform, but also on a format that will allow members of the audience to pose questions, with follow-ups from moderator Candy Crowley of CNN. Obama, sharply criticized for a listless performance in the first presidential debate on Oct. 3, is expected to more aggressively question Romney’s shifts in tone and position over the years – and in some cases recent days – on tax cuts, immigration, abortion and other subjects. “We saw this clearly in the first presidential debate on Oct. 3, as Governor Romney
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The Crimson White 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 on the first floor, Student Publications Building, 923 University Blvd. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. 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 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2012 by The Crimson White and protected under the “Work Made for Hire” and “Periodical Publication” categories of the U.S. copyright laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of The Crimson White.
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cynically and dishonestly hid the self-described ‘severely conservative’ positions he’s been running on – and there’s no doubt he’s memorizing more deceptions as he prepares for Tuesday’s second debate,” Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in a memo Monday. Obama, who has been practicing in Williamsburg, Va., is expected to press Romney hard on the Republican’s contention that he can cut current income tax rates 20 percent across the board without increasing the federal deficit. Romney, who has been preparing in the Boston area, is expected to counter not only with a vigorous defense of his plan but with a recitation of economic woes that he says the Obama administration has helped exacerbate. The more informal town hall format is likely to be more comfortable for the affable Romney. Crowley will moderate, the first time in 20 years a woman has had that role. Undecided voters in the audience, selected by the Gallup Organization, will ask questions, a format first used in 1992 as a way to more directly engage voters. Crowley stirred grumbling
in both political camps by suggesting she may go further in her own questioning than the campaigns want. She also plans to press the candidates to actually answer the questions asked of them. “Either go to the next question or say, ‘Wait a second, wait a second, they asked oranges, you responded apples, could you please respond to oranges?’” Crowley told McClatchy in an interview. “Or, ‘Hey, while we’re on this, could you please explain why this happened or what do you think about this?’” Asked about the kerfuffle around Crowley and followup questions, Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki noted there were “discussions around every debate,” but she declined to comment on the specifics. “The president is looking forward to the debate tomorrow night, looking forward to answering questions from the American people who will be in the audience, and he is prepared for and ready to take questions from wherever they come,” she said. The Romney campaign would not comment about follow-up questions. Asked if the campaign prefers no follow-up questions from Crowley, Psaki said: “I’m not going to get into any more specifics than that.” Despite losing his lead after the first debate, Obama has some history on his side. Incumbent presidents, notably Ronald Reagan in 1984 and George W. Bush 20 years later, lapsed in their first debates. Like Obama, they’d grown used to deference even opponents show to the president of the United States, and they seemed taken aback at the kind of onslaught they hadn’t endured since their last campaigns four years earlier. Reagan and Bush recovered in their second debates and went on to win their re-election bids. But they were running when the economy was thriving, and Obama is not. Obama’s fate is more difficult to handicap, as he’s being tugged by
Zhang Jun/Xinhua/Zuma Press/MCT
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, left, and U.S. President Barack Obama attend the first presidential debate at Denver University on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012, in Denver, Colo. two conflicting historical forc- tax rates enough to stimulate es – the sluggish recovery has growth but also able to limit kept his popularity down, but unidentified deductions so that it’s not dismal enough to make the wealthy end up paying the him an underdog. same amount of taxes. Both candidates face Independent analysts have new challenges Tuesday. been skeptical of the claim. Republicans sense this is their Congress’ bipartisan Joint first big chance to question Committee on Taxation staff Obama’s national security pol- reported Friday that even elimicy, a topic that didn’t come up inating most tax breaks would in the first debate. only support a 4 percent reducFor Obama, it could be Libya. tion in rates. The Romney camHis administration stumbled paign called the finding “irrelein explaining circumstances vant,” saying it did not account surrounding the death of four for the growth that rate reducAmericans, including the U.S. tions would spur. ambassador, in an assault on Obama also has another the U.S. consulate in Libya last tricky task: He has to make a month. fresh appeal to the small slice Vice President Joe Biden of undecided voters who could added to the controversy, say- decide the election. They usuing during his debate last week ally have doubts about the with challenger Paul Ryan that incumbent but are getting to the White House was unaware know the opponents. They embassy officials wanted more need time to assess whether security. That seemed to con- they can envision Romney as tradict congressional testimo- president. ny earlier in the week, when a “It’s harder for an incumbent State Department official told to recapture votes from people Congress that she had received who have jumped off his ship. requests for more security in Those people have begun to Benghazi but that she turned say, OK, I’m comfortable with them down because the depart- Romney,” said Brad Coker, ment wanted to train Libyans managing director of Masonto handle the duties. Dixon Polling & Research, For Romney, it could be his which conducts surveys in sevclaim that he’ll be able to cut eral states.
“I think having a good mix of students is beneficial,” Walston said. “It brings more culture to the school and allows us to meet new kinds of people.” ADMISSIONS FROM PAGE 1 Both Halpern and Walston David Walston, a junior agreed that because public majoring in economics and schools intended to support its finance at Alabama, said while residents as students, in-state state schools do have an obliga- students should have an easier tion to in-state students, a grow- time in the admission process. ing out-of-state population is not “From what I know, it is hardalways bad. er for out-of-state students to
Students say out-ofstate growth not bad
gain admission, which I don’t generally have a problem with, considering it is a state school and other states have them as well,” Halpern said. Walston agreed in-state students should be granted admission a bit easier. “It’s fair to give state residents a leg up in admissions because a large portion of the school’s funding is allocated from the state itself,” Walston said.
NEWS
OPINION
CULTURE
SPORTS
Tuesday, October 16, 2012 | Page 3
Hazing
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“What the University says means nothing to the fraternities and their pledgeship,” the pledge told The Crimson White.
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“I saw a pledge bleeding out of his head, out of the back of his head,” he said. “So a kid I was with went up to him and asked him why he didn’t go to the hospital. And he said he was afraid if he went, someone – they’re obviously going to ask him what happened, and who did it, because that just doesn’t happen to you. So he just went to his room, his dorm – and I don’t know.” The pledge said the back of the student’s head, from halfway between his hairline and crown down to his hairline, was raw. Detailing the same story in the email, the authors wrote that the pledge said he was afraid that if he went to the hospital or told anyone what happened it would happen again, the next time worse. Less violent, but still physically straining and sometimes painful hazing incidents are common, the pledge told the The Crimson White. The pledge described one of these tasks as “bows and toes,” usually conducted on the concrete floor in the basement of a fraternity house. Pledges are ordered into a pushup-like position but only allowed to only use their elbows and forced to stay in the position for up to five minutes. “I’ve heard people doing bows and toes and an active will come up and kick them in the ribs,” he said. Alcohol also plays a major role in the physical abuse of pledgeship, the pledge said. “So during pre-swaps, you can be forced to drink – a lot,” he said. “Well, it’s probably eight or nine beers, but it’s in like half an hour. So you don’t really get drunk, you just can’t physically keep the carbonation in your stomach and you have to throw it up.”
Twitter a valuable tool if used as such
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
you’re nervous, worried about getting a text or after getting a text you’re more worried about what could come next,” the pledge told the The Crimson White. “You’re always kind of looking around – even just walking from house to class, you always have to be watching out, looking around.” When asked why he didn’t drop out of pledgeship, the pledge said actives in the fraternity threaten “blackballing,” or permanent alienation from the greek community. “They, like, force it into you that if you drop, you’re going to be blackballed by the largest greek system in America,” he said. Executive Director of the Counseling Center Lee Keyes said fear and intimidation are common characteristics of abusive situations in general. “The use of fear and controlling behavior is common among perpetrators of all violence and abuse, with one intention being to maintain access to the victim,” Keyes said, speaking on abusive relationships in general, not hazing specifically. Psychological, as well as physical, abuse could also explain why some – only 10 percent, by the pledge’s estimate – actives in fraternities participate in hazing at all. “It is a well known fact that many, but of course not all, of Psychological Abuse Fear and intimidation, the those who have been in abusive psychological sides of hazing relationships perpetuate the during pledgeship, often keep abuse themselves,” Keyes said. When speaking about the psypledges from reporting injuries chological effects of pledgeship or other hazing incidents. “I’d just say, basically, 24/7 in his own experience, the pledge
said he has found himself doing things he wouldn’t have under normal circumstances. For instance, at swaps, pledges are told to do things “just for the entertainment of your actives or sorority actives,” such as grinding on random girls or other “sexual things,” the pledge said. “I wouldn’t say any sexual harassment boundaries would be crossed, but it’s definitely not something you would just go do because you felt it was all right,” the pledge said. “You know it’s wrong when you do it.” University Response In an Oct. 10 statement, Vice President for Student Affairs Mark Nelson listed several measures the University uses to prevent hazing. Nelson cited limited house hours each day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., a shorter pledge period and a hazing hotline that is monitored daily. Those measures, however, are mostly ignored, according to both the Oct. 10 email and the source interviewed by the The Crimson White. In the email, the pledges said the daytime house hours are used for hazing and spent mostly in places “pledges dread such as basements, band rooms and attics.” The hazing hotline is also of little or no use, the pledge said. The one time he had heard of the hotline being used, the actives from the house named in the tip looked through all of the pledges’ phones. “They just went through
everyone’s phone looking for the Hazing Hotline number,” he said. “Looking for any texts – to a girlfriend, to someone’s parents, brother, sister – looking for anything about hazing.” The University often relies on a self-reporting policy for dealing with hazing situations, Hebson said. “What we tell the people, the new member educator, if there’s something that happens in that pledge program and that person doesn’t report it, he can be referred to judicial affairs,” Hebson said in an Oct. 2 interview with The Crimson White. Hebson said he believes the policy has been a “very, very positive thing.” The source, however, said self-reporting is something that just doesn’t happen. “Basically, some of the only times I’ve heard of anything getting out is two pledges will be walking to class, and there’ll be a random student behind them that hears something, [and] they’ll go tell them,” he said. The source also said the Oct. 1-7 pledgeship suspension didn’t change anything. “The University has eight weeks of pledgeship, and I think they cut it down to seven,” he said. “What the University says means nothing to the fraternities and their pledgeship. Like we’ve had weeks off, technically, from pledgeship and we just wear normal clothes, not pledge gear, but we still have all our pledge duties. I’ve heard from almost every pledge I know in many different houses that after the eight weeks is up, it’s just kind of no big deal, you’re still a pledge, you’re just not dressing like one. That’s the only difference.” Moving forward after his initiation, he said he doesn’t see himself being one of the brothers who hazes pledges. “I can’t see myself, like, doing this back,” he said. “After feeling what it’s like, I wouldn’t want to ruin a kid’s first semester.”
TWITTER FROM PAGE 1 Sheikhzeinoddin has been on twitter as the @Lady_ Engineer since February and has received tweets from university engineering organizations all over the country such as Society of Women Engineers. “I just think it’s so cool that people actually think I’m funny or re-tweet me and stuff,” Sheikhzeinoddin said. “I think it just shows how Twitter can connect an idea or people.” Sheikhzeinoddin believes having such a large following of engineering companies and organizations may be helpful when searching for jobs in the future. She hopes to go to graduate school and pursue structural engineering. “A lot of people that tweet at me are taking a semester off to intern and co-op or are working,” Sheikhzeinoddin said. “They tweet their work problems, so maybe I can continue this [@Lady_Engineer account] after school.” Other students have begun to use Twitter as a way to research internship and job opportunities directly from the organization. Kelly Martin, a sophomore majoring in apparel design, found an application for her current internship with collegefashionista.com, a fashion blog for college students, from a link on a tweet. “I use Twitter basically to stay updated,” Martin said. “I would not have known about College Fashionista if they didn’t have a Twitter. I also follow fashion blogs and news pages so I can learn as much as I can about the industry in a short amount of time.” Aside from fashion news, Martin also uses Twitter as her primary news source and way of communicating with friends and celebrities. “I think Twitter is so popular because it is immediate information,” Martin said. “Twitter is the first place I
look to for news because it is faster than the newspaper and even TV. It’s also a place of conversation. You can see what your friends or even celebrities are saying about basically anything in short, concise messages. I also follow UA accounts to find out about school events.” As the industries of journalism and public relations move to mostly digital means of communication, universities are pushed to make their presence known in the Twitter world in order to keep up with student communication. Carla Ellis, a sophomore majoring in restaurant management and hospitality, follows UA Twitter accounts as well as local bars to keep up with campus activities and Tuscaloosa happenings. “I’m following @ _1831_ and @ImShmacked to keep up with events in Tuscaloosa,” Ellis said. “I also follow @HCAlabama (Her Campus Alabama), which is an online magazine for UA.” Mark Palisoc, a junior majoring in psychology, uses Twitter and Facebook equally but uses Twitter primarily to keep up with celebrities and express his own personal thoughts. “I think Twitter is a way for people to express their feelings without actually expressing it in person, but having the same satisfaction of getting it out of their systems,” Palisoc said. Although Palisoc has never had to use Twitter for school purposes like many communications students, he admits to tweeting during class. “I think it’s changed students’ lives in a little more negative way than positive because it is just another distraction,” Palisoc said. “It’s kind of like the modern take on passing notes.” From campus celebrities like @Lady_Engineer to the average student looking to stay on top of breaking news or Hollywood gossip, students at the University are using Twitter as an outlet for both personal expression and professional networking.
Join the Women’s Resource Center
October 16 at 6:00 p.m.
Dating & Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil
to raise awareness and honor those affected by domestic violence. location: denny chimes (Rain location: smith hall)
PRESENTED BY:
UA PANHELLENIC
O PINIONS Challenges of defining boundaries of internet privacy
Page 4
NEWS OPINION CULTURE SPORTS
By Brad Tipper Staff Columnist Before this week, I was fairly unfamiliar to the popular website Reddit and its intricacies, having only visited the site a handful of times and never creating my own account. My prior knowledge of the self-proclaimed “front page of the Internet” only went so far as the “funny” Sub-Reddit, where a collection of cat memes, .gifs and other entertaining photos posted by users can be found. What I didn’t realize was that I was barely scratching the surface of what the social news website held. On Friday, Gawker writer Adrian Chen opened the eyes to those unfamiliar, like myself, to the very dark side of Reddit and the people behind it. With Sub-Reddits named “incest,” “misogyny,” “jewmerica” and other much more horrible and offensive titles that I’d much rather not repeat. It’s clear the site has given an outlet for people who have much darker interests than funny memes. What is even more disturbing is that these topics are not hidden away on the site, viewed by only a small number of users, but instead bring some of the highest amount of traffic to the website. Maybe it was naive of me to believe these topics didn’t hold a place on the site, but I thought this kind of filth was only saved for the darkest corners of the Internet. The issues behind the site
were not brought to light because of the Sub-Reddits that I previously mentioned though, but mostly because of one discomforting topic in particular called “creepshots.” In this specific portion of the site, users posted pictures of sexually suggestive pictures of woman taken without their knowledge by stalking them. Violentacrez, a Reddit member behind the moderation, creation and infamy of many of the worst sections of the website, also was one of those involved in the creepshots Sub-Reddit. Obviously when creating the type of Internet footprint that one does when posting and supporting topics such as the ones Violentacrez, or Michael Brutsch as identified by Chen in his article, has, keeping a concealed identity from the outside world is usually of high importance. Unfortunately for him, this Walter White-esque double life he has been leading (a 49-year-old Texan working for a financial services company by day, Internet pervert by night), was torn down by the article published last week. So did Adrian Chen and Gawker have the right to infringe on the privacy of Brutsch in order to unmask the man polluting the Internet community with his unsavory interests? According to the Reddit community, the answer is no. While officials of the website have not spoken out about the issue since they banned the creepshots Sub-Reddit early last week, a
large population of the websites members have. Besides the recently adopted policy not to allow sexually suggestive content featuring minors, there is a lack of any substantial rules regarding what can and cannot be posted to the website. The one rule that is in place, though, and is considered to be the websites most important policy, is that the rights of Reddit users may not be infringed upon. By publishing an article ousting a Reddit member for his indecent Internet behavior, Gawker has ignited the member population to speak out against and ban any of the blog’s content from being posted on Reddit. It is understandable for Redditors to express their anger over the nfringement of a user’s user s infringement
Internet privacy, but are they not concerned about the privacy of the woman, and even young girls, found in the creepshots section of the website? It seems to me that Reddit officials should be just as, if not more, concerned with the actions of their users, instead of worrying solely about the protection of their privacy. Though a proponent of privacy for everybody, I am not for allowing actions such as Brutsch’s to go without consequences or allowing him to continue to hide behind his Violentacrez Internet mask any longer. Bradley Tipper is a junior majoring in political science and economics. His column runs biweekly.
Wiki Commons
To create a better community, reach out to hurting friends By Mary Sellers Shaw Staff Columnist He is constantly stressing out about school and takes medicine to help him focus. They don’t think it’s a big deal that it’s not prescribed, until he overdoses and is sent to the hospital. She used to always love going out with her friends, and they didn’t understand when suddenly she stopped going anywhere. They couldn’t see that she was afraid. He always had on a smile and was cracking jokes; it seemed like he loved life. That’s what they said at his funeral, as they mourned his taking of it. These depictions may seem dramatic or out of the ordinary, but for many students, they’re reality. Students suffer every day from depression, anxiety, abuse, assault and more. And it’s not always
visible. So often, we are shocked when we find out that the happiest, most easygoing people are the ones with the deepest issues. My freshman year, my Spanish partner and I would joke and talk throughout class, and occasionally get our work done, too. When second semester came around, our schedules didn’t work together, but we stayed mutually connected through classmates. And all seemed to be going well. Rumors went around one day about a student who killed himself. I remember thinking, “that’s so sad.” It never crossed my mind that I might, on such a large campus, actually know who they were talking about. Only after I got a phone call that night telling me it was my friend did I connect the dots. I had never known. It’s so easy on a campus of 30,000 people to feel lost and
alone. We’ve all been there, in fact – who of us hasn’t felt at least once that we had no one to turn to and that no one really cared that much? We put on a brave face and act like everything is okay, when in reality it feels like our world is falling apart. That’s why it is so important for us as a student body to look out for each other and to learn to listen and respond. If you think something is wrong with someone, talk to your friend about it. Don’t just sweep it under the rug or assume they’re just having a rough day. In the same breath, if something happens to someone you know, it’s not your fault. Yet, that doesn’t make it any easier to deal. Part of living in a community is leaning on each other when times are hard. I won’t claim expertise and solutions to all problems. If I did, we would have no need of the Counseling Center,
Student Health Center or Women’s Resource Center. But I do urge you to take advantage of these resources. They are not just here for life-threatening situations, either; they are here to support students in whatever way they can, no matter how big or small a situation may seem. Often, the most inconsequential issue to others end up being important to us. We don’t like to acknowledge the bad, the heavy, the human. We don’t want to see any of this in others or in ourselves. But it’s important to talk, and it’s important to listen. See if you can go out today and notice someone new. Maybe we can make campus feel a little less lonely. Mary Sellers Shaw is a junior majoring in communications and civic engagement.
University theatrics: ‘I forget that I’m not actually in a toy town’ By Lucy Cheseldine Staff Columnist Shakespeare once said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” With midterms rearing their ugly heads, my head is swimming in quotations. Yet, America has felt more like a theatrical space than a country for the past few days. As the bubble of campus is tightening its reigns on my city lifestyle, reality begins to slip into performance and I forget that I’m not actually living in a toy town. There is space beyond the confines of this amphitheater. I tried to remind myself of this by turning on the TV to watch the vice presidential debate, but I knew I had made a mistake. At least they outdid their
respective Presidental candidates. I found my ears were able to escape the rhetoric and lyrical façade of the vice presidential candidates’ language and into the truth of some policy. But, at the same time, it just didn’t feel real. These debates are entertaining, which is one thing America does well. But Centre College in Kentucky became the sphere of actors and directors. They even pushed the genre boundaries. It almost rivaled the presidential debate in which the drama that was supposed to unfold was muted by the comic tweets, commenting on the chosen color of each candidate’s tie. It seemed to be parodying itself, as humorous as it was. So even something as real as politics couldn’t
EDITORIAL BOARD Will Tucker Editor-in-Chief Ashley Chaffin Managing Editor Stephen Dethrage Production Editor Mackenzie Brown Visuals Editor
Tray Smith Online Editor Alex Clark Community Manager Ashanka Kumari Chief Copy Editor SoRelle Wyckoff Opinions Editor
ground me. The next mistake I made was a little more obvious. I headed out to Moundville’s Native American festival. I even indulged in a little fancy dress, wearing a feather headdress my mum gave me as a leaving gift. “Wear it to the airport,” she wailed as I opened the paper bag. “Let them know you’re coming.” How fitting. So off I went in costume, adopting a character from one of the many stereotypes of Native American women that had been thrust at me during childhood. Apparently everyone else had taken their wardrobe choices as seriously as me. I was passed by a line of 10 or 11 scouts, all in khaki, sporting bow and arrows and war paint, followed by a woman whom I can only assume
mothered them all. She was attired in a floor length floral gown. They wailed at me as they passed. An attack was on the horizon, and they still hadn’t gone hunting for their evening meal. Just another day in the wilderness. Despite my best efforts, I’ve had my head in the clouds. Tuscaloosa has become a distorted reality for a week. And I’ve embraced the acting about. So if you see a brown haired woman wearing a beaded head adornment and flowing dress floating around the quad, don’t be too alarmed. It’s just me. Lucy Cheseldine is an English international student studying English literature. Her column runs on Tuesdays.
Editor | SoRelle Wyckoff letters@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, October 16, 2012
OUR VIEW
Anonymity used to keep sources safe Occasionally there comes a time when an editorial board of a media outlet must make the difficult choice to rely on anonymous sources. Today, we have made that decision. In today’s Crimson White, you may read a very long, very in-depth story about hazing in the fraternity community and the University’s attempts to curb it. By publishing this story, we believe we are asking a great deal of trust from you, but we want to assure you that we are not asking you to take a blind leap of faith. Here’s why. For several editors at the CW this year, this is not unfamiliar territory. We have operated in an information vacuum before and have emerged from those instances with a strong understanding of what it takes to establish the truth of a claim without confirmation from anyone in a position of authority. Indeed, sometimes those in positions of authority must themselves have their information fact-checked, their leadership questioned and their positions contested. But what if the people with the ability to do just that find themselves incapable of doing so? What if, in this particular instance, professors without tenure feel as though speaking out about the condition of some pledges in their classes could get them fired? What if a pledge himself feels as though he’s risking physical harm by speaking out about hazing? We find ourselves in that very position today. The environment fostered by the administration and the few men in fraternities who continue to perpetrate dangerous hazing practices at the University has become too toxic for whistle-blowers – they can’t speak out even though they feel a moral imperative to do so because of the fear of the consequences of having their names attached to an issue so volatile. That’s why you’ll find an anonymous source in today’s Crimson White. It is the last remaining avenue by which our sources can contest the leadership of our administrators when it comes to hazing in the greek community. The use of anonymous sources is a tool that media outlets have used for decades when they find similar conditions in their communities. And, of
FACTORS •The source cannot have
{
In short: The decision to use anonymous sources is not one made lightly. Today the Crimson White had several reasons to do so.
course, the CW has its own precedent to follow. When operating in an information vacuum - the territory of “he-said, shesaid” statements and a lack of clarity about the facts - we have developed a system by which we believe we can prove the authenticity and reliability of sources and their information. Because we’re asking a great deal of trust from our readers, it’s also our duty to explain that system to you. Before we publish a story like the one on today’s front page, the CW editorial board comes up with two sets of conditions for the information we expect we’ll receive: “factors” and “elements.” Factors are conditions that are relatively easy to come by in reporting but must all be proven together before the information can be reported as true. Elements are much more difficult to obtain, but prove just one and the information is authenticated. The factors and elements used to authenticate today’s source are listed below. We have verified at least one element or all factors together. We feel as though we owe you, our readers, this higher standard of reporting in this situation. Today’s story seriously contests the statements being made by Dean of Students Tim Hebson and Vice President for Student Affairs Mark Nelson, two of the University’s top administrators, about the current situation in the greek community as it attempts to deal with hazing. Today’s story also illustrates the urgency with which we felt this needs to be addressed. If Hebson and Nelson had not previously heard that pledges have been electing to forgo visits to the hospital because they’re afraid of what a few of their fraternity brothers might do in response, they have now. We’ll see how they respond.
Our View is the consensus of The Crimson White Editorial Board. Managing Editor Ashley Chaffin did not participate in this editorial.
ELEMENTS • An active in the source’s
dropped out of pledge-
fraternity corroborates
ship and still wants to
the accounts.
join the fraternity.
• The source provides
• The source must be fear-
official reports: record
ing for the well-being
of a visit to the hospital
of himself or others and
or clinic, police reports
must have a specific rea-
or administrative reports
son, such as a threat.
that corroborate the
• The source must represent a group of pledges, not only himself. • Another pledge must come forward with the source.
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Submit a guest column (no more than 800 words) or a letter to the editor to letters@cw.ua.edu
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account. • A roommate corroborates the source’s accounts independently.
NEWS OPINION CULTURE SPORTS
NEWS
Page 5 Editor | Melissa Brown newsdesk@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Sophomore wins $500 award Spanish House opens doors to visiting students
By Kelsey Zokan Contributing Writer
Britney Green, a sophomore majoring in engineering at The University of Alabama, is the 2012 recipient of the Charles and Alice Hines Jackson Memorial Scholarship for Sumter County. The scholarship is provided through the Children of the Village Network Inc., and is designed for children and their families to thrive not only in their community, but also in their future. Sumter County Judge Tammy J. Montgomery, the chair of Children of the Village Network Inc., founded the organization with her brother, Charles S. Jackson Jr., in 1997. “It is built on a premise that it takes a whole village to raise one child,” Montgomery said. “Our mission statement is combating illiteracy, crime, disease and hunger and to administer scholarships to public schools.” “The scholarship is named after Judge Tammy Montgomery’s mother, Alice Hines Jackson, and her father, Charles S. Jackson
By Katherine Langner Contributing Writer
“
Submitted
Britney Green, center, is pictured with her parents on Sept. 22 after winning the Charles and Alice Hines Jackson Memorial Scholarship for Sumter County. Sr.,” Green said. “The schol- achievement. a full academic year of grades arship was named after her “A student applying for before they select their recipparents died and left her and this scholarship must have a ient for the scholarship. her brother a large lump sum 3.0 GPA, and they must need Judge Montgomery and of money. They decided to some type of financial help in Charles S. Jackson Jr., prehelp students from the com- college,” Green said. “Their sented Green with the award munity that were in college parents should not have and a $500 check on Sept. 22 at and needed financial help.” attended college as well.” the courthouse in Livingston, Green worked hard for the Green only recently Ala. scholarship, and she was received the scholarship “We think that Britney delighted to be honored with because Children of the is a shining star for Sumter the award for her academic Village Network Inc., requires County,” Montgomery said.
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majoring in restaurant and hospitality management, said she believes the University could do a better job of informing students about the crime CLERY ACT FROM PAGE 1 that occurs on and around cam“The UA police depart- pus. ment is a fully-accredited law “They need to raise enforcement agency with high- awareness,” Grubbs said. ly trained professional officers “Information like this report who are prepared to respond comes out, but no one knows to emergencies of all types, about it.” including gunmen or shootWill Travis, a junior majorings,” Summerlin said. ing in musical theatre, said he Alyssa Grubbs, a junior thinks this is the University’s
Numbers show rise in substance abuse
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LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS
The Women’s Resource Center will be hosting their annual Dating and Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil on Tuesday, Oct. 16. The vigil will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on the Quad, where students will gather around Denny Chimes to show honor and support for the victims of abuse. “Dating and domestic violence are problems at The University of Alabama, as well as at other colleges and universities across the country and around the world,” said Paige Miller, the campus violence events coordinator at the Women’s Resource Center. According to a report by the Domestic Violence Resource Center, one in four women have experienced domestic abuse by a boyfriend or spouse
IF YOU GO • What: Dating and Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil • Where: Denny Chimes • When: 6 - 7 p.m. in her lifetime, including any kind of verbal, psychological or physical mistreatment. “Domestic violence awareness is something that everyone can relate to,” Courtney Maddox, a sophomore majoring in fashion retail, said. “Whether it be a friend, family member or even acquaintance, we have all seen, heard or experienced domestic abuse.” While men are also susceptible to abuse, women make
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DRUG LAW VIOLATIONS
way of hiding the negative things that happen on campus. However, he said most of the time he feels safe at the Capstone. “The UAPD does a pretty good job,” Travis said. “Though sometimes I think they care more about traffic and parking than crime and safety.” The UAPD encourages students to report any emergency situations on campus by calling 911 or the UAPD at (205) 3485454.
Candlelight vigil held tonight By Morgan Reames Contributing Writer
teach lessons. However, this event is not restricted to Spanish House The Spanish Department’s residents. Jacob says all stuliving-learning community, dents will be welcomed. the Spanish House, is hostThrough the completion ing an open house as a way of biweekly journal entries for students to learn more and participation in two information about the new hours of full Spanish lanprogram, which became guage immersion, particiavailable two years ago. pating students can receive The open up to two credhouse will its for enrollbe held next ment in the Monday, Oct. program. The Spanish House is a great 22, from 7 to “We have way for students to practice 8:30 p.m. at an organized their Spanish language skills Smithwood-D c o nve r s at i o n in a more intimate setting located behind group hour the Biology on Mondays than the classroom. building. from 4 - 5 “It will — Jessica Jacob p.m.” Jacob be a great said. “But we event,” Alvaro welcome all B a q u e r o students who Pecino, faculty director of are interested in improvthe Spanish House, said. ing their Spanish to join our “With music and food, visi- conversation hour.” tors will have the chance to Morgan Embry, a junior know the Spanish House as double majoring in dance well as the current residents and New College and minorand, above all, they will have ing in Spanish, is living in a good time.” the house this semester. The open house is a way “The Spanish House interfor visiting students who are ested me because it offers interested or curious to see an opportunity to submerse the Spanish House and to myself in the language,” learn what to expect if they Embry said. got involved, Jessica Jacob, She spent the past sumthe current student director mer in Spain and is using for the Spanish House, said. the Spanish House as a way The Spanish House is a to preserve the language live-in, culture-based living- skills she developed studylearning community gar- ing abroad. nered toward fostering the “My favorite thing about Spanish language skills of the Spanish House is the the Spanish House residents embracing atmosphere we through a relaxed pseudo- have,” Embry said. “We immersion process. really are a family and “The Spanish House is a encourage each other to great way for students to keep developing our conpractice their Spanish lan- versational skills. There is guage skills in a more inti- no judgment or worry about mate setting than the class- saying things incorrectly. If room,” Jacob said. “We have it comes out too absurdly, dinners together, we watch we at least get a good laugh movies together and any- out of it.” thing that really gets stuThere are still spots availdents to open their minds able for the students interand experience more of the ested in living in the Spanish culture.” house this upcoming spring One way Jacob is immers- semester. To apply to enroll ing the Spanish House resi- in the Spanish House, dents in the Spanish culture email Baquero-Pecino at is through her upcoming ab a q u e r o p e c i n o @ u a . e d u plans to celebrate October’s stating why you are interHispanic Heritage Month. ested in participating, and Jacob is arranging for a he will contact you for salsa dancing instructor to an interview.
up 85 percent of domestic violence cases, according to the report. Women of all ages and races are affected, but women ages 20-24 are at the greatest risk. “Statistics tell us that one in five college females will experience some form of dating violence,” Miller said. The Women’s Resource Center will also be hosting other events throughout October in recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness month. “I’m glad we were able to call more attention to the issue so that women, and even men, can feel more confident in getting out of the situation,” Maddox said. “It is such a serious issue that should never happen to anyone.” In case of bad weather, the event will be moved to Smith Hall. The cost is free, and the event is open to all students who wish to attend.
ILLEGAL WEAPONS POSSESSIONS CW | Sarah Grace Moorehead
NEWS OPINION CULTURE SPORTS
CULTURE
Page 6 Editor | Lauren Ferguson culture@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Art of graduate program displayed Hard work lets By Alexandra Ellsworth Staff Reporter The University of Alabama art and art history departments opened their fall graduate student studio art exhibition in the beginning of October. The exhibit, called “You Can’t Hold Water,” is located in Sella-Granata Art Gallery in Woods Hall and will close Nov. 2. For graduate student Andy Pruett, “You Can’t Hold Water” denotes that an artist’s work must “hold water” to be considered viable. “It is the necessity to be able to articulate your work with a solid discussion beyond the strictly formal qualities of it,” Pruett said. The title was decided after the group of artists met to collaborate on possible names for the exhibit. “We all made suggestions and voted for our favorites,” graduate student Mark Barry said. “‘You Can’t Hold Water’ finished with the most votes, so it became the show title.” For James Davis, the title represents a literal depiction of his work. “I work with functional material,” he said. “In a very literal sense, technically, all my work can hold water.” Davis, Pruett and Barry will each be displaying pieces in the exhibit. Davis is a student in his fourth semester, whose areas are ceramics and sculpture. His inspiration for his art comes from the crude and socially unacceptable. “A lot of my focus comes from dirty jokes,” Davis said. “I present them as stories and use imagery to tell my story.” Davis’ piece in the exhibit is “If She Smokes She Pokes: Memories from Prom.” Davis drew inspiration from his grand-
student dance program soar
IF YOU GO • What: “You Can’t Hold Water” studio art exhibit • When: Oct. 1- Nov. 2
By Lindsee Gentry Contributing Writer
• Where: Sella-Granata Art Gallery in Woods Hall father who was a trucker, his imagination and just walking down the street. Barry is in his third semester of his MFA with a focus on painting and sculpture. His work, titled “Heavyweight,” is an acrylic painting that examines and enhances the physicality of stretched canvas. “It asks the viewer to engage the painting in an nontraditional way – forcing them to see the physicality of the painting itself as a part of the work, rather than a two dimensional picture plane,” he said. Barry wants the physical painting to be a part of the work as much as the picture he has painted. Pruett, a Birmingham photographer and graduate student, will also be displaying his work, “Untitled.” His work is a digital pigment transfer on a board, which he explained as a photograph on a transparency attached to a board in an aesthetically pleasing way. “The imagery I work with is rural towns, but also time passing and how time affects things,” he said. “There is a lot of nostalgia in my work.” Pruett also uses his own heritage and story to create ideas and inspiration for his works. “My family is native to the state of Alabama,” he said. “I spent a lot of time as a child in smaller towns, and my grand-
CW | Ashley Montgomery
“You Can’t Hold Water” art exhibit was unveiled this month at the SellaGranata Art Gallery in Woods Hall. mother lived in an older house. all studio art graduate students I really love the old established because the incoming class was homes that housed generations so small. “The three first-year students of people, the structure of the house, the land and the culture actually organized the space and came up with the design of the around it.” Although this show is usu- show,” Davis said. “They did a ally for incoming first-year stu- good job overall and put in some dents, the exhibit is available to really hard work.”
COLUMN | FILM
Even among giants before him, Craig best of Bonds By Matt Ford “Skyfall,” the latest in the James Bond franchise, will be released in theaters Nov. 9 and debut to the public as the 23rd 007 film. The series recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, beginning with the release of the first Bond flick in 1962, “Dr. No,” starring the classic Sean Connery as the smooth British agent. There have been many Bonds throughout the years, six in total under Eon Productions, and a long-standing debate surrounding the series questions which actors portrays the best character interpretation. Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and the current portrayer, Daniel Craig, all have donned the 007 persona on the silver screen for Eon.
Arguably, the most iconic of the six can be narrowed down to Connery, Moore, Brosnan and Craig – Lazenby and Dalton only appeared for a grand total of three James Bond films between the pair. Connery began the series and set the tone for the film adaptation of Bond and is regarded by many to be the classic, best actor of the elite group. He established the iconic introduction of the movies, with Bond being viewed through a gun barrel and began the trend of having a “Bond girl” accompanying the protagonist in every segment. Brosnan was widely noted for his smoother portrayal of the agent, with a heavier emphasis on Bond’s womanizing habits. While Brosnan’s suave style of characterization may have left some feeling that Bond wasn’t as
tough as his previous depictions, his portrayal’s sophistication and graciousness earns ranking with the other top Bond actors. To me, Moore’s adaptation of Bond encapsulated the action of the character above everything else. His segment, which still has the longest record of consecutive films in the series, brought forth more of the “action hero” dynamic of Agent 007. Recently, Moore was voted as “Best Bond” in an Academy Awards poll with 68 percent of the votes. Craig became the newest James Bond with the release of 2004’s critically acclaimed “Casino Royale.” Fans were divided over the decision to cast Craig since he does not fit the tall, dark and mysterious archetype of the character. But with the success of his recent Bond movies, and
his third already highly anticipated, Craig is definitely off to a great start in his part of the franchise and earns my vote as the best Bond yet. “Skyfall” will end the fouryear hiatus of Bond films and has already received fantastic reviews in pre-screenings. Additionally, musical artist Adele has joined with legendary composer Thomas Newman to create the film’s theme of the same name, which is currently sitting at number four on iTunes’s top one hundred singles list. It will also be the first flick in the series to be released in IMAX.
Choreograph a piece and pick music. Choose dancers and practice. Show faculty, pick costumes and practice more. Perform. As students prepare for the acclaimed “Dance Alabama!” show each semester, they follow a similar checklist. The show, which takes place both spring and fall semesters, will open Oct. 16. “Dance Alabama!” is choreographed and produced entirely by students, and afterward, faculty choose which pieces will make the show. Auditions are open to any UA student interested in either being in the show or choreographing. “Once you get on the stage, it doesn’t matter what age you are,” Ashley Volner, president of the “Dance Alabama!” board said. “The faculty chooses pieces based upon what they think college students want to see.” Students from a variety of department and majors, ranging from freshmen to seniors, compose the show. Normally, students may be forced to wait until their senior year before assuming the position of choreographer, Volner said. At the University, students have the “upper hand” as the show provides an opportunity fall and spring semesters to showcase their talent. By leaving the majority of the show up to students, audience members also benefit. “We fit a range of personalities into the show,” Volner said. “We have a lot to offer, if we could just get students to recognize this.” Preparation for “Dance Alabama!” lasts approximately two months and requires about six hours per practice, in addition to dancers’ other classes and extracurricular activities, said Chanse Jones, vice president of the “Dance Alabama!” board. Jones, like several other dance majors in the show, is a double major. “We really have to put in our work,” Jones said. “We all have classes, meetings and practice to fit into 24 hours.”
Past “Dance Alabama!” performers exemplify the challenge of coordinating busy class schedules and working in the professional dance realm, Jones said. Many dancers have signed with agencies and travel to perform in television shows and music videos in addition to working on their “Dance Alabama!” pieces. “We continue pushing ourselves because there is nothing more comforting and beautiful than doing what we love with people who love the same thing,” Volner said. The effort of the students does not go unnoticed. Last year, the department sold around 3,800 tickets for the fall and spring shows, the majority purchased by students, said Collins Goss, the marketing manager for the Department of Theatre and Dance. He hopes to sell all 622 seats in Morgan Auditorium each night in future years. Cornelius Carter, professor and director of the dance program at the Universtiy, said his favorite aspect of the show is seeing the “fresh and new voices that are pushed to find themselves.” Carter has been at the University for more than 20 years and said he expects “fully committed dancers to exemplify excellence” on the stage. Because tickets are sold to the public, students are forced to perform at a professional level, Associate Professor Rita Snyder said. “The stage is like a laboratory for them,” she said. “They learn the technical and performance aspects of the business while also learning to communicate and compromise.” Like any form of research at the University, professors guide students through the process. In preparation, faculty members critique the music, performance and choreography until each piece is ready. Ultimately, only the best pieces will make the show. “Dance Alabama!” Fall 2012 runs Oct. 16 through Oct. 19 in Morgan Auditorium. Tickets can be purchased online or through the Department of Theatre and Dance.
COLUMN | FOOD
Halloween season calls for spooky snacks
By Sophia Jones ‘Tis the season to be spooky. Halloween offers a plethora of festive desserts, finger foods and drinks that are easy and inexpensive to make and definitely worth trying. During the Halloween season, there is rarely such a thing as too many sweets. For many, calories simply do not exist during the last few weeks of October. Personally, I’m never opposed to a freshly baked cake or cookies, and Halloween themed desserts are a fun way to spend time in the kitchen. Candy Corn Cake, a favorite of mine, is a simple dessert that does not lack in flavor or festiveness. All that’s needed is basic cake batter, a round cake pan and an oven. You can use any cake flavor you prefer, but I love chocolate. Follow the directions on the box of the cake to bake, and afterward, place it in the freezer for a few minutes to harden, then cut it into 8-12 wedges. Finally, decorate each wedge to resemble a piece of candy corn with orange icing at the bottom, yellow icing in the
middle and white icing at the top. You can dye the icing with yellow and orange food coloring and add orange and yellow sprinkles for extra garnish. Simple and classic, ghosts decorations are a great theme to use on any Halloween treat. You can decorate brownies, cupcakes, or any other individually baked goods. To create an edible ghost design, I use a can of whipped cream and pipe in a circular motion to create a rounded cone on top of my cupcake. Top it off with chocolate chips for eyes. Pizza is a weekly indulgence for almost every college student. This October, throw some ghosts on your pizza by cutting Parmesan cheese slices into ghost shapes using a Halloween cookie cutter. You can also use your Halloween cookie cutter to make ghostshaped chips by cutting shapes into 6-inch corn tortillas, seasoning them and then baking them. Another creative Halloween themed snack is bite-sized bats. Mash together softened cream cheese, goat cheese and
pesto into small 2-inch balls and chill them in the fridge for around 40 minutes. Cover the balls in black pepper and poppy seeds. Use two olive slices on each ball for the bats’ eyes and insert Dorito chips (any flavor you want) on either side for the wings, allowing for a salty snack or party food. There are many delicious drinks you can sip on as you carve your jack-o-lantern this Halloween. Two of my favorites are Bloody Bug Juice and Pumpkin Juice. If you want to get extra gory this Halloween, try sipping on Bloody Bug Juice. All that’s needed are strawberries, lemonade, ginger ale, raisins and blueberries. You can also freeze this to make it a refreshing frozen drink. Pumpkin Juice is very simple to make and can be served hot or cold. It requires iced tea mix powder, a cup of orange Tang breakfast drink mix, white sugar and three teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Take advantage of Halloween as a time to embrace the season and all the foods and drinks catered to the holiday.
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012 | Page 7
SWIMMING AND DIVING
Coach with Olympic experience returns to lead alma mater By Charlie Potter Contributing Writer Dennis Pursley walks along the Alabama swimming deck and gazes up at three words that are plastered on the walls surrounding the swimming pools of the Aquatic Center: attitude, character and commitment. The first-year head coach of The University of Alabama swimming and diving team is looking to start building a culture of excellence as he returns to his alma mater to close out his coaching career. “I can’t think of any better scenario,� Pursley said. “This will be my last coaching job, and I hope it will be the longest as well. I’ve got plenty of enthusiasm and energy left, and I hope to be here
for many years. But to finish up your career where you started 40 years prior, especially in a place that is really special to you, is just a privilege and opportunity that I don’t think many people have.� Pursley is returning to the Capstone after serving as the head coach of British Swimming in the London Olympic Games. He has been in or around a pool for 54 years, and he has been involved in six Olympiads. In 1989, Pursley was announced as the first National Team Director for USA Swimming, which gave him full responsibility for all aspects of the program. During his tenure until 2003, Pursley led USA Swimming to Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney.
“The opportunity to work with literally all of the top coaches and swimmers in the country closely during that period of time was a special experience,� Pursley said. He said the epitome of his time as National Team Director was the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Australia. That year, and the few years leading up to 2000, the Australians had formed a very strong team that was tough to beat. However, the American team came together and constructed what has been described by Sports Illustrated as the greatest team performance of all time, bringing home 14 gold medals. “Everybody put aside any personal differences they might have had and really came
together to respond to the challenge,â€? Pursley said. “They did exceptionally well and ended up dominating the competition. [‌] It was a lot of fun to be a part of that.â€? In 2003, Pursley was selected as one of the “25 Most Influential Peopleâ€? in the history of USA Swimming, but his proudest moment came just three years later when, in 2006, he was inducted into the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame. “I can’t think of a higher honor really, because it’s one that you share with your peers that you’ve had the highest level of respect for,â€? Pursley said. “I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with many of the most talented swimmers in the
world over the years and had number of outstanding coaching opportunities that many coaches go through a whole career and never have. To be included in that group is a special honor.� In his first season as head coach at Alabama, Pursley will look to use his experience in the sport’s highest levels of competition to benefit the Crimson Tide and help it develop a culture of excellence within its swimming and diving program. “The pursuit of excellence, there’s not any secrets out there that people are unaware of,� Pursley said. “It’s just a matter of really internalizing these things and making them a part of who you are as an individual athlete and making it a part of who we are as a team.�
UA Athletics
Alabama swimming coach Dennis Pursley is looking to use his experience to turn around a struggling Alabama swimming and diving program.
COLUMN
WNBA’s Catchings, powerhouse on both sides of the court, â€˜ďŹ ghts’ for ďŹ rst team championship By Jasmine Cannon Staff Reporter Tamika Catchings is arguably the most efficient player in the WNBA on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. But she’s never won a WNBA championship. She has won five WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards since entering the league in 2001 and joining the Indiana Fever. She was the league MVP in 2011 and has been named to seven All-Star teams while also
being the WNBA’s all-time leader in steals and free throws made. The former Tennessee Volunteer has won every championship possible for any basketball player, with her latest title being her third Olympic gold medal. “When you look at it from a standpoint of having all the individual accomplishments but looking at it in the big picture and wanting a team accomplishment, this is it,� Catchings said in a Sports Illustrated interview. The road to the 2012 WNBA
finals has not been easy for the Fever, who are returning to the championship for the first time since 2009. The team beat the defending Eastern Conference champion Atlanta Dream in the first round of the playoffs before going on to beat the Connecticut Sun in an exciting series in the conference championship. After earning the eastern conference title, Catchings shared her thoughts on going into the finals. “Thursday night [against Connecticut] was the first time
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Catchings and the Fever still have a championship to win. “We are not here to just be in the finals,� Catchings said. “We are here for a great opportunity, and both teams, we both want it bad. So every game is going to be just like this game. It’s going to be tough, it’s going to be hardnosed.� The Lynx are considered the favorite to defend their title, but that task will not be easy with Catchings leading the other team. Head coach Lin Dunn called Catchings a “marked
woman� during the eastern conference finals, and teammates realize the baggage that comes along with being an elite player in the WNBA. “She’s Tamika Catchings; everyone knows she’s Tamika Catchings,� Fever point guard Briann January said. “They’re not going to make anything easy for her. That’s what it is.� Catchings is focused, and her desire is impeccable. There’s not much else the team needs from its star player as it gears up to fight for the ultimate prize.
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we’ve won an elimination game on the road in eight consecutive years in the playoffs,� Catchings wrote on an ESPNW blog. “We’re definitely all about firsts this time around.� The Fever shocked many WNBA fans as they defeated defending champions the Minnesota Lynx in the first game of this year’s finals. Catchings led her team with 20 points and six rebounds. The team was without leading scorer Katie Douglas who is nursing a sprained ankle, but
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Today’s Birthday (10/16/12). You’re the birthday star, so make a wish (or several) as you plant your seeds by the moonlight for future thriving. Include specific career goals, travel possibilities and educational passions to pursue. This year is all about learning. Fill it with adventure. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (Mar. 21-April 19) -- Today is a 5 -- Work with a powerful team, and listen with intent. Don’t act like you already know the answer or you’ll miss a great opportunity. Creative work has a bittersweet flavor. Every little bit counts. Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Gain experience and mastery. Share the load today and tomorrow, but hold on to the responsibility. And leave time in your schedule for romance. A bit of glamour won’t hurt. Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Today and tomorrow, delve into the details. Hot soaks relax stressed muscles. Don’t squander your resources, even if you think you have plenty. Learn from an expert. Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Reserve the next two days for fun that’s balanced with creative productivity. Extend your psychic antennae. Don’t believe everything you’ve learned. Put in the work to reap rewards. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Stick close to home for the next two days. Clean up and discover a treasure. Make room for love. Friends can help you find the perfect expert. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is
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Page 8 Editor | Marquavius Burnett crimsonwhitesports@gmail.com Tuesday, October 16, 2012
FOOTBALL
Players, coaches understand importance of rivalry By Marc Torrence Assistant Sports Editor The gap between Alabama and Tennessee seems to grow wider every year. Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley is in his third year at the helm of the Volunteers and has collected a 14-17 record so far, including just 4-15 in SEC play. The Vols have lost all three of their conference games this season and prognosticators are already debating Dooley’s job security. Meanwhile, Alabama head coach Nick Saban has his team on a collision course for a thrid national championship in four years. The Crimson Tide has blown through the first six games of its schedule and doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon. But Saban says none of that matters this week, when Alabama and Tennessee will take part in the 95th edition of their historic rivalry. “This game is more about the rivalry and less about people’s record,” Saban said. “Tennessee has a really, really good offensive team. It’s always a challenge to play on the road, and this is certainly a challenging place to play.” Alabama has won five games in a row in the series. Every game has been won by at least 20 points, except for 2009, when Terrence Cody blocked what would have been a game-winning field goal in Tuscaloosa. “Being a second-year player, it’s kind of grown on me now,” linebacker Trey DePriest said about the rivalry. “Last year, I didn’t know. I thought it was always Alabama-Auburn. I didn’t really know about the Tennessee game. But a lot of the older fans take this game real seriously. It’s bigger than Alabama-Auburn to them. I try to please the fans as
much as possible, so it definitely means a lot.” Out-of-state players like DePriest and defensive lineman Damion Square don’t hear about Tennessee-Alabama as much as some of Alabama’s other rivals like Auburn and LSU. Square, though, sees passion in Alabama’s rivalries unlike any he ever saw in his home state of Texas. “What football means to the state of Alabama and what it means there is a little bit different,” Square said. “They have their pride about [Texas] and it’s a state full of Texas exes; but here at Alabama, there’s a different atmosphere with AlabamaAuburn and Alabama-Tennessee and things like that. “It’s a little bit more state-wide. You have your sections in Texas that’s serious about it and some that’s not quite so serious about it. Here, it’s the entire state of Alabama.” McCarron, other injured players all OK Quarterback AJ McCarron, who sustained a bruised knee in Alabama’s 42-10 win over Missouri, will practice this week, Saban said. McCarron sustained the injury in the third quarter, but returned for the next series and finished the game. “He’ll be fine in a day or two,” Saban said on ESPN’s BCS Countdown Show Sunday. Saban added that wide receiver Christion Jones (ankle sprain) will be day-to-day and running back Eddie Lacy (bruised hand) is OK as well. “We have our nicks and bruises like everybody does this time of the year,” Saban said. “We just need to manage through that and do the best we can to prepare for this game.”
Wide receiver Kenny Bell from last year’s Tennessee game on Oct. 22, 2011.
CW File
“I HATE TENNESSEE” A staple of Tennessee week is a viral YouTube video, simply titled “I Hate Tennessee,” depicting an Alabama fan – presumably a student – standing outside of the Ferguson Center describing his hatred for the Volunteers. “First of all, it’s Tennessee,” he laments. “They low down, they dirty, they some snitches.” The sharing of “I Hate Tennessee” has become a tradition on Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets. The original video has over 440,000 views so far and that
will undoubtedly rise in the coming days. The video has also spawned shirts and other paraphernalia, printed with some of the video’s phrases on the various items. Some of the more popular lines from the video include: “I’m not a dog person.” “I hate Neyland Stadium; it looks like a garbage truck worker convention.” “It’s that throw-up orange. It’s not that orange that you can sit with. It’s that puke, inside of a pumpkin orange. And I don’t like pumpkins.”
VIDEO | “Bama fan trashing Tennessee” Scan the code to the right with the QR Reader for iPhone or Android to watch the video.