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Monday, November 21, 2011

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Serving the University of Alabama since 1894

Vol. 118, Issue 58

Administrator: Machine needs transparency Vice President for Student Affairs Mark Nelson speaks candidly about Machine’s inﬂuence By Victor Luckerson Editor-in-chief editor@cw.ua.edu

As a part of its ongoing investigation into the activities of the Machine, a secret political coalition of traditionally white fraternities and sororities, The Crimson White contacted University of Alabama Vice President for Student Affairs Mark Nelson with several questions about his knowledge of the Machine and his percep-

tion of its role on campus. Nelson’s email responses are provided below in their entirety. He is one of the first UA adminMark Nelson istrators to ever speak about the Machine on record in The Crimson White.

The Crimson White: What knowledge do you have of the Machine’s members or its current operations? Mark Nelson: I have been at the University of Alabama for 20 years. I don’t remember exactly when, but I remember hearing the explanation [of the Machine] really early on. It was explained to me by a non-Machine greek student who was very upset that other students on campus assumed that if you were greek you were proMachine. Since then I have learned

that the Machine depends on some greek membership, but it is not necessarily synonymous with the greek system. As a faculty member who worked with student organizations, I also heard that the Machine controls every election on campus – from homecoming queen to SGA president. I would hear the defenders say it’s just that other non-greek, non-Machine students don’t care about having influence over some of the areas believed to be controlled by the Machine. We have a diverse student

base and I believe that’s true for some of them – they live really busy lives and pursuing a degree is one of many things they are doing – but I don’t think that’s true of everyone. In my role now, I have a responsibility to clear roadblocks for all students. If they want to run for office, to be a member of a specific organization, we have to make sure they can do that without fear or intimidation.

See NELSON, page 2

UA investigates ﬁght at Delta Chi fraternity house By Katherine Martin Assistant News Editor klmartincw@gmail.com Early Saturday night a fight occurred at the Delta Chi fraternity house between members of the fraternity and three black Alabama A&M University students who were invited to the house by a fraternity member, according to an email from University President Robert Witt. The University of Alabama Police Department continues to investigate the situation, according to the email. Delta Chi has been issued a Student Non-Academic Misconduct citation, which is issued when a University Police Officer believes students may have violated the

Eddie Lacy (42) powers forward against the Georgia Southern defense. Alabama went into the game after an Iowa State victory against Oklahoma State on Friday. Two more top-5 losses helped put the Tide on an easier route to the BCS National Championship.

“I am extremely disappointed that racially offensive language has once again been used on our campus.” —President Robert Witt in an emailed statement Code of Student Conduct. Trent Smith, president of Delta Chi, said members of the fraternity and alumni were shocked to read about the incident in Witt’s email and the inference that fraternity members used racial slurs. Delta Chi is conducting an investigation into the allegations racial slurs were used.

See FIGHT, page 2

CW | Mitchell Hughes

BCS stars align for Tide Crimson Tide takes care of Georgia Southern at home, while the stars align for Alabama throughout the rest of college football BY THE NUMBERS

By Tony Tsoukalas Sports Editor ajtsoukalas@crimson.ua.edu Friday night the Crimson Tide was handed back something it lost almost a month ago at home – control. When Iowa State running back Jeff Woody found his way into the end zone to knock off then No. 2 ranked Oklahoma State 37-31, the team knew it would have control of its own destiny. “I wasn’t with the guys at the time,” linebacker Courtney Upshaw said. “But from what I heard, they all went crazy and celebrated when [Iowa State] scored that touchdown.”

CW | Katie Bennett The Trunk is located off of Paul Bryant Drive near the stadium and specializes in custom Alabama apparel.

See FOOTBALL, page 6

| Iowa State running back Jeff Woody ran in a touchdown from four yards out in double-overtime to beat Oklahoma State 37-31. The victory was important for the Tide, as it opened up the No. 2 spot in the BCS standings.

| FCS foe Georgia Southern scored 21 points on Alabama’s defense, the most by any opponent this season. Though the Tide won ugly against an FCS team, it was able to survive where many other top-10 teams could not.

187

| USC freshman Marquise Lee caught eight passes for 187 yards en route to helping the Trojans beat Oregon 38-35. The win eliminated the debate over which team was the best oneloss team between Alabama and Oregon.

479

| Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III threw for 479 yards, leading a 45-38 Baylor upset over Oklahoma. Griffin threw four touchdowns while not throwing an interception. The Baylor win took out another one-loss challenger for the Tide.

| Griffin completed the 34-yard winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Terrance Williams with just eight seconds remaining in regulation.

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| Alabama running back Trent Richardson rushed for 175 yards on 32 carries in the Tide’s 45-21 win over Georgia Southern. Coupled with losses around the NCAA, the performance helped his Heisman campaign.

The Trunk sells greek letters, custom jerseys for Alabama students By Lauren Ferguson Staff Reporter ldferguson@crimson.ua.edu In addition to supplying sorority pledges with their famous Bid Day packages, The Trunk offers a variety of original Alabama and greek products for students and alumni of UA. Owner Rich Anders shares his experience with The Crimson White about what it’s like to run this growing business: The Crimson White: How did you get started in the le this

Please ec

• er

Photos | The Associated Press

INSIDE today’s paper

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See TRUNK, page 8

retail industry? Rich Anders: Well, it actually goes back 102 years with Anders Hardware, which was founded by my great-greatuncle and my great-grandfather in 1909. Anders Hardware has passed down from my grandfather, father and now me. Throughout the years, the company has purchased other retail establishments, and in 2002 The Trunk became one of our establishments. CW: When did The Trunk open?

P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 | Advertising: 348-7845 | Classifieds: 348-7355 Letters, op-eds: letters@cw.ua.edu Press releases, announcements: news@cw.ua.edu

Briefs ........................2

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WEATHER today Mostly cloudy

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ON THE CALENDAR TODAY

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: SOCIAL MEDIA WEEK IN REVIEW Follow Tweets that used the popular campus hashtags #uachat and #uatweet for a recap of last week on social media.

Page 2• Monday, November 21, 2011

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

What: ‘Hot Steams’ Amber Jones BFA Exhibition Where: Sella-Granata Art Gallery, Woods Hall When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What: ‘Hot Steams’ Amber

Jones BFA Exhibition Where: Sella-Granata Art Gallery, Woods Hall When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What: How to Study for Multiple-Choice Tests Where: Bidgood Hall When: 4 to 5 p.m.

What: Student Recital featur-

What: Classes Dismissed (UA

ing Steven Meier, saxophone Where: Moody Music Building When: 5:30 p.m.

Where: The University of

What: Alabama Contemporary Ensemble Where: Moody Music Building When: 7:30 p.m.

What: Modern China in Cin-

open – normal business hours) Alabama When: Through Thanksgiving break

ema: Sacriﬁce (2010) Where: Community Media Center, Riverside Dorm When: 8 p.m.

Submit your events to

EDITORIAL

calendar@cw.ua.edu

Victor Luckerson editor-in-chief editor@cw.ua.edu Jonathan Reed managing editor jonathanreedcw@gmail.com Will Tucker assistant managing editor wjtucker1@gmail.com Taylor Holland news editor newsdesk@cw.ua.edu Malcolm Cammeron community manager outreach@cw.ua.edu

ON THE MENU LAKESIDE LUNCH Rotisserie Chicken Cheese Lasagna Red Roasted Potatoes Crudités with Ranch Dill Dressing Vegetable Enchiladas

DINNER Roasted Pork Loin Potato Soup Puree Chicken and Vegan Tacos Orange Glazed Carrots Greek Salad

Stephanie Brumfield lifestyles editor Tony Tsoukalas sports editor Tray Smith opinions editor John Davis chief copy editor Kyle Carey design editor Evan Szczepanski graphics editor Drew Hoover photo editor Tyler Crompton web editor Daniel Roth multimedia editor

ADVERTISING Emily Richards 348-8995 Advertising Manager cwadmanager@gmail.com Brittany Key 348-2598 Territory Manager Amy Ramsey 348-7355 National Representative Classifieds Coordinator Lauren Aylworth 348-8042 Creative Services Manager Nikki Amthor 348-8742 Greg Woods 348-8054 Tori Hall 348-6153 Rob Clark 348-4367 Will DeShazo 348-8041 Jessica West 348-8054 Ben Gordon 348-8042 Lauren Gallas 348-8042 Coleman Richards Special Projects Account Rep 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 © 2010 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.

BURKE

BRYANT

FRESH FOOD

LUNCH

Grilled Harissa Chicken Mashed Potatoes Chicken & Mushrooms in Alfredo Sauce Spicy Orange Chicken with Broccoli Oriental Beef Noodle Soup Grilled Vegetable Pizza (Vegetarian)

UA student holds toy drive for tornado victims

Ofﬁcers who pepper-sprayed campus protesters are put on leave

University of Alabama College of Education student Rebecca Ellison and members of TuscMoms are organizing T-Town Toys for Hope, a holiday toy drive to benefit students of Alberta Elementary School, one of the area schools destroyed by the April 27 tornado. Ellison said they are hoping to provide every student at the relocated Alberta Elementary with at least one gift-wrapped toy for Christmas. Toy drive organizers are asking the community to donate new, unwrapped toys (valued at $20 or less) for students in pre-K through Fifth grade by Sunday, Dec. 11. Suggested toys include building sets, craft or jewelry-making kits, pillow pets, board games, blocks, art supply kits, dolls, books and action figures. The drop-off point for gifts is First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa. Donors should use the circular drive accessible from 23rd Street and bring gifts to the door under the canopy, where they will press the buzzer to gain admittance. Gifts should be dropped off between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

Continued from page 1 Smith said at approximately 2:30 a.m., four males, three black, one white, entered the fraternity house uninvited and were asked to leave after one of the four became disruptive. One or more of the individuals threw a planter through a window of the house and damaged the windows and front

From MCTcampus Two campus police officers who pepper-sprayed protesters Friday on the University of California-Davis, campus were put on administrative leave pending an investigation, campus officials said Sunday. A video posted on the Internet Friday shows officers spraying a row of seated protesters who reportedly had refused police orders to disband during an Occupy UC Davis rally. The video elicited outrage, including calls for the resignation of the Davis chancellor, Linda P.B. Katehi. “I spoke with students this weekend, and I feel their outrage,” Katehi said in a written statement issued Sunday. “I have also heard from an overwhelming number of students, faculty, staff and alumni from around the country. I am deeply saddened that this happened on our campus, and as chancellor, I take full responsibility for the incident. “However, I pledge to take the actions needed to ensure that this does not happen again. I feel very sorry for the harm our students were subjected to and I vow to work

door, he said. “Delta Chi condemns the use of any language that is disrespectful to any other person, and particularly does not condone the use of racial slurs,” Smith said in a statement. “Delta Chi supports the University’s zero tolerance policy against racially offensive language and supports the use of the highest and best standards of respect and civility by all members of Delta Chi.”

NELSON Continued from page 1

The secrecy of the Machine is not necessarily the problem, but it certainly doesn’t help the cause. I have heard students say that many of the myths we hear about the Machine are not completely true, but that’s the problem with secret societies, isn’t it? Your power largely comes from being inaccessible. But ultimately it affects you too because you don’t allow others to see the process. CW: What efforts have you or other administrators made to address the Machine and its influence on campus? MN: Clearly if students want to form some sort of voting bloc, political party or even a secret society, that is fully within their rights. What concerns me about the Machine, and for that matter any secret society, is not so much their attempt to influence campus politics (again, nothing wrong with that); it is the fact that they appear to be more interested in remaining secret than in advancing the noble ideals of the University. Secret societies in general have more room for corruption because of the lack of accountability to the greater community. We have to also acknowledge that this organization could be as old as one hundred years – likely before there was electricity on our campus. Times are so very different. At that time there were no more than 600 students at the University. We are about as different as the same campus can be. When some of the students affiliated with the Machine reached out to me and

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ON THE RADAR

ON CAMPUS

FIGHT

Chicken Marsala Macaroni, Tomato and Beef Casserole Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich Tennessee Smoked Turkey Chowder Pinto Beans Pesto Cream Penne (Vegetarian)

UA Spokeswoman Cathy Andreen said she is not aware of any injuries. In addition, all activities for the fraternity have been suspended until Judicial Affairs has completed a hearing of the incident. Delta Chi has filed a criminal mischief report for destruction of property at the fraternity house, according to the email. “I am extremely disappointed that racially offensive language

asked if I would speak to a few of their members about how they are perceived on campus and what they could do to become more open, I was happy to do so. I informed them that incidents on and off campus had been rightly or wrongly attributed to their group. I explained to them that ultimately, just as they had a right to organize, other students should also have the right to choose what they will and will not do on campus. All students should have the right to run for an office. All students should have the right to vote for whomever they want. Likewise, students should have a choice when it comes to being a part of the Machine – some students join a fraternity or sorority and have no idea that they have also elected to become a part of – or at least support – the Machine.

tirelessly to make the campus a more welcoming and safe place.” Katehi said a task force would be appointed this week, to be made up of faculty, students and staff, to look into the incident. She said the group’s work will include looking into “communications from the police to the administration.” Katehi set a 30-day deadline for the group’s report. A campus spokesman said Katehi also has tentatively agreed to meet Monday with members of the protest group. In a press statement Sunday, campus officials said Katehi plans a series of meetings with students, faculty and staff about the incident to listen to ideas. The pepper-spray incident on Friday came after campus police moved in to order a tent encampment on the Quad be disbanded. Ten protesters were cited and released on misdemeanor charges of unlawful assembly and failure to disperse. An estimated 25 tents were taken down. Campus officials said 11 protesters were treated on campus for effects of pepper spray. Two were taken to a hospital but were released after treatment.

has once again been used on our campus,” Witt said in the email. “As an institution, through actions and conversations, we are working diligently to make sure we create and maintain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.” Adrienne McCollum, president of the Social Work Association for Cultural Awareness, said she has met with Witt and Executive Vice President and Provost Judy

without trying to control the elements of the process. A voting bloc says “we support this person” not “you cannot run.” I believe in students and their ability to make wise choices. Even if the influence of a group is imagined, it still has impact. One of the saddest things an administrator can hear from a student is “I wanted to get more involved, but I didn’t think I had a chance.” CW: Do you think more students should speak out against the Machine, as SGA Vice President for Student Affairs David Wilson did? MN: Students who have worked closely with me know that I believe in dialogue and the power of dialogue to build healthy, inclusive and civil communities. I believe David Wilson was encouraging others to join him in a conversation about our campus and the right that all students have in advocating for what they believe. Students should not be afraid of dialogue and debate and disagreement – these are the things that will help to advance our community. We only grow stronger through open and civil discourse (and I believe a big emphasis has to be on keeping it civil. Personal attacks on either side derail any progress we can make). Secret societies deny the community the opportunity to engage in this type of discourse. Healthy, engaged campuses must rely on cooperation, collaboration and dialogue.

CW: Do you think the Machine is a positive or negative influence on campus? How do you see this influence manifest itself? MN: Because they are a secret society, it is difficult to gauge whether or not the Machine has had a positive or negative influence on campus. Most of the stories we hear are negative. We’ve all heard the legends and the talk of political arm-twisting and threats of repercussions. They appear to elect qualified candidates to student government, but at what cost? Some greek students (past and present) have told me they do not feel they have the freedom to participate CW: Based on your knowledge of the or to even try to participate because they were not chosen by the Machine. If Machine, what areas, if any, of the Code that is true, the Machine is more than a of Student Conduct are they violating? MN: As President Witt has stated, voting bloc or political party because a voting bloc participates in the process any group that organizes must follow

Bonner to discuss concerns with previous emails dealing with racial incidents. McCollum said she was happy with the email that was sent to students Saturday morning. “I think they did a really good job of letting us know what happened and what they’re doing about it,” she said. As more details emerge regarding the event, check future issues of The Crimson White for more information.

University guidelines. Students should know that violations of those guidelines will be dealt with through Judicial Affairs.

CW: What can students who are not happy with the Machine do to change its operations? MN: Three things: 1) I think the most important thing a University of Alabama student can do is to be intentional about his or her choices. If you’re involved in an organization, do the research. Find out what they believe in. Does it match your values? Make a change if it doesn’t. 2) Ask for help. Partner with someone in administration. Voice your concerns but be a part of the solution. A great example is how we now conduct voting. Students approached us about improving the process. We now have a better way of engaging everyone – it’s online. It’s protected. It’s so much easier than the old way. But it took collaboration between students and administration. Don’t assume that nothing can be done. 3) Remain engaged. If you don’t invest in making a change on campus, nothing will happen. We’ve never had a more qualified student base on campus than we do now. Never. In the history of the University. In my role, I see students every day and they are bright and passionate and committed to contributing to the legacy of the University. This whole experience should not be viewed as, “The administration is out to get the Machine.” That’s not true. The administration is committed to protecting and developing the potential of every student at the Capstone.

The Crimson White

NEWS

Monday, November 21, 2011

eTech Night Shift keeps campus wired Students, credit union to By Jared Downing Staff Reporter When Professor Ed Stephenson gave his Friday lecture in the Biology Building auditorium, he didn’t have to worry about whether his cordless microphone would transmit or if the clickers wielded by his students would connect. He knew the remotes, microphones, touch-screen monitor, digital pen and the projector that made it all possible always worked. What he didn’t know was that after he left, the four members of the eTech Night Shift went to work, checking every cable and light bulb, getting each of the 122 Arts and Sciences multimedia classrooms ready for a new day of class. “Technology is everywhere. You’re not going to get away from it no matter the profession,” eTech Director Ruth Pionke said. She said today’s learning environment is often inseparable from its supplemental gadgetry, no matter the subject. Night Shift exists to make sure any literature professor can upload Faulkner to the web and any art historian can show Michelangelo on a projector screen.

“Technology is everywhere. You’re not going to get away from it no matter the profession.” — Ruth Pionke UA’s eTech director The team itself isn’t always tech-savvy. Wade Whatley, a Night Shift memberturned-supervisor, is a nursing student. He is training an entire team of recruits; the rookies include a gamer girl, a musician and a rock climber. Pionke said Night Shift is a common entry point into eTech for not-so-technical students, . “We haven’t had any big, unusual problems,” Whatley said. The extent of Night Shift’s repair duties is usually nothing more than dead batteries. Rather, Night Shift is a reconnaissance team; they find problems, document them, send the report to the AV department, and let the techies handle the rest. The team exists to service the little things that make UA’s tech-oriented education possible. Theirs is the kingdom of broken projector bulbs, sticky

mouse buttons and touch-screen pens misaligned by an inch or so – the mass of subtle glitches that individually go unnoticed or ignored throughout the day. A monitor display issue is the only hardware problem Ed Stephenson has ever had in the technological casserole of the Biology Building lecture hall, and it was fixed in a day. He has never had to think about eTech, because his gadgetry has always worked. “They’ve been invisible, so I think they’ve done a good job,” he said. Night Shift isn’t designed to tackle the big technological issues, but the problems that fall between the cracks. When a teacher clicks the same thing 23 times and then storms out, Night Shift makes sure the next teacher doesn’t find 23 open Firefox windows. They maintain the classroom in a way that goes beyond technology. Whatley said upturned desks, trash and broken podiums are not beyond Night Shift’s call of duty. The team isn’t supposed to maintain technology, but order. If they’ve done their job, no one will know they’ve done anything at all.

raise funds for ‘Secret Meals’ By Alyssa Locklar Contributing Writer At 9 p.m. at Innisfree Irish Pub, a group of five students from the Public Relations department will partner with Alabama Credit Union to host a fundraiser benefiting impoverished children throughout West Alabama via an organization called Secret Meals. As a part of their class, the students were assigned a non-profit organization to work with and given the opportunity to better the community. “Through this campaign we want people to know that poverty is not just in third world countries,” student group member Liz Legg said. “It is right here in Alabama. With 20 percent of children living below the poverty level, Alabama has one of the highest poverty rates in the United States. “Since many families rely on schools providing free or reducedpriced meals to children during

the week, feeding children over the weekend will be difficult.” Once people arrive at the event, they will pay a $5 cover charge, and 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated straight to Secret Meals. Although Secret Meals is normally run through Alabama Credit Union, the event will be promoted and put on by the students. Throughout the fundraiser, there will be promotional pieces for ACU and their organization to give attendees as much information as possible. “My particular role at the event will be taking up the cover charge,” said Spencer Whitfield, another group member. “As a whole, all of our jobs are to promote Secret Meals and their mission. We will have people inside and out, all making sure that everyone is having a wonderful time, but at the same time, making sure everyone is aware of Secret Meals and their mission to help build and strengthen our community.”

OPINIONS

Machine not essential for Greek success By SoRelle Wyckoff @sorellew

MCT Campus

The burden we share is our own

Monday, November 21, 2011 Editor • Tray Smith letters@cw.ua.edu Page 4

{ YOUR VIEW } WEB POLL

CW Poll Do you believe students should be eligible for college credit if they participate in Occupy Wall Street? NO 71% 887 Votes

YES 29% 355 Votes

Total Voters: 1,242

This Week’s Question: Do you believe the Machine has a positive or negative impact on The University of Alabama? EDITORIAL BOARD Victor Luckerson Editor Jonathan Reed Managing Editor Will Tucker Assistant Managing Editor Tray Smith Opinions Editor John Davis Chief Copy Editor Drew Hoover Photo Editor

WE WELCOME YOUR OPINIONS Letters to the editor must be less than 300 words and guest columns less than 800. 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. For more information, call 348-6144. The CW reserves the right to edit all submissions.

By John Davis @JohnMcLeodDavis Early Saturday morning, a fight broke out between three black students from Alabama A&M University and members of the Delta Chi fraternity. I, like most of the student body, learned of this incident through an email sent by President Witt around 8:15 a.m. that same day. In addition to informing the student body of the incident, the email also stated that “racially offensive language” was involved, which leads one to believe that this language was the catalyst for the whole episode. I want to emphasize, though, that the Judicial Affairs and UAPD investigations aren’t over, and that I am simply speculating as to the cause of the fight. On Twitter, most everyone seemed more concerned with the email Dr. Witt sent than the actual incident itself. The general consensus was that the emails sent regarding race-related incidents on campus don’t accomplish anything, and that physical steps need to be taken to address the issue. Here’s where I have to disagree. First, the email contained far more details than any other we’ve received. We know what happened, whom it involved and what’s being done about it. Everyone is up in arms about how the administration is all talk, but it seems to me those people must have skipped past the part that read, “While UAPD continues to investigate the situation, the Delta Chi house has been issued a SNAM and all activities are suspended until Judicial Affairs has completed a hearing of the incident.” If you’ll recall the incident in

February, when a young man shouted an epithet from a fraternity doorstep, all that email said was, “On Friday evening, a member of the UA student body used a racial slur to refer to another UA student. The words that were used are offensive to our commu-

each other accountable for our actions. The administration can send a thousand emails, institute mandatory diversity courses for freshmen or even force every on-campus resident to live with someone of a different race, but the fact of the matter is that until our peers speak up and speak out against this type of behavior and this type of inferior mindset, we can’t reasonably expect anything to change. The Operation: Not Isolated group has done a tremendous job of not only raising awareness through a completely grassroots campaign, but continuing through by holding a well-attended conversation about race and diversity on campus. Theirs is the example we should look to and follow, because it’s a group of our peers. In the past I have argued that the student body should not have

In the past I have argued that the student body should not have a parent/child relationship with the administration. Usually, this mostly refers to the SGA and other high-proﬁle student groups on campus. In this instance, though, the same applies to the student body as a whole.

nity, and are especially upsetting to African Americans.” That email was unacceptable. Saturday’s message, I think, was a strong one because of the information it gave. Let’s not forget this all happened on a Saturday morning – what exactly did y’all expect him to do? Put on his superhero tights, fly to campus and use his racial tolerance superpower? There comes a certain point where we, as a student body and as a community, must hold

a parent/child relationship with the administration. Usually, this mostly refers to the SGA and other high-profile student groups on campus. In this instance, though, the same applies to the student body as a whole. We cannot sit on our hands and wait for a finger-wagging admin to fix it. This isn’t high school – we have to solve these problems ourselves. John Davis is the chief copy editor of The Crimson White. His column runs Mondays.

We must collaborate to move on By Sydney Page I woke up Saturday morning to see an email from President Witt about yet another racial incident on campus. As I read the email, one question came to mind - when is this hate going to stop? This has been a chaotic semester. Although I am only a sopho-

nity. Forums and marches are great but it will take more than that. This negative energy will forever remain on this campus until we choose to accept each other as diverse individuals with the ultimate goal of receiving a great education. What makes this country, and

Forums and marches are great but it will take more than that. This negative energy will forever remain on this campus until we choose to accept each other as diverse individuals with the ultimate goal of receiving a great education.

more, I have never witnessed the amount of corruption and hate I have seen this semester. Whether it is within the SGA or with racial slurs/chalkings on buildings, stabbings in Lakeside, bomb threats, intruders in residence halls and now this incident, when is this hatred going to cease? The amount of hate and corruption going on at this campus is not healthy and is ultimately holding us back from becoming a more unified institution of learning. We can stop this negative stigma that has plagued our campus. If we choose to make wise choices and not hurt one another, we can move forward and become a more unified, and ultimately more successful, campus commu-

statement. Although we are different, together we make up The University of Alabama. When this university is ranked, not just one race or group of people is measured. We all are measured as one body of students. Every student here has been given the opportunity, or better yet been privileged, to attend this University and obtain an education. How can we fully reach our potential as individuals and as a campus if we are not able to work together and look past differences? I encourage all students to look beyond skin color, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientation, religious associations and greek or non-greek affiliations and look for what we can do together as a diverse student body. I know I am not alone in being tired of hearing about racial incidents and corruption on this campus, but it will continue to prevail if we choose not to stand up against it. I challenge us to consider what we are doing before we act. Consider how what we say or do may impact others around us. We can be “One Team. One Bama,” but that will never prevail if we do not join together and accept one another.

honestly any successful company or group, so great is the collaboration of minds. We need to reach out to one another, listen and work together to become a stronger and more unified UA. It is possible. It is evident at every home game, especially the Iron Bowl, that as a diverse group of students we can rally together to support our beloved team. If we can rally together for our team, we can also rally together to progressively move this campus forward. I am a resident advisor, and during our training this summer we were informed about a new campaign called “One Team. Sydney L. Page is an SGA senaOne Bama.” Every student on tor for the College of Arts and this campus should embody this Sciences.

It’s never easy to admit your faults. It’s even harder when your failures are thrown at you on the pages of the student newspaper. But as history shows us, it’s how mistakes are handled that determines character. This past week The Crimson White researched and reported on the underground organization Theta Nu Epsilon, also known as the Machine. And while the unearthing of this political machine is long overdue, there are understandably a large percentage of students who feel angered, confused or even betrayed. I am writing as more than an observer on this matter and I provide a perspective that I believe many of those who feel personally connected to the Machine may relate with. My experiences testify to the strong grip the Machine has on student government and other University organizations. I am not only a member of a sorority that is part of the Machine, but I am also a former member of First Year Council and the SGA Senate, and received funding and support from the Machine to help run (and win) my campaigns. I can sympathize with the confusion that many students of the greek system are experiencing, but I am now asking my fellow greeks, as you read these articles, to read them with an open mind. Instead of viewing these reports as an attack against the greek system, view this unveiling for what it truly is: an opportunity to cleanse the greek community of something corrupt, and move forward for the better. The greek system at The University of Alabama is one of the best in the nation. Between a rush that is consistently one of the largest in the country and a fraternity system made up of of 29 nationally recognized fraternities, our greek system is respected nationwide. But for far too long our system’s respect has been credited to the power of the Machine – power ultimately achieved by fear. Yet, if we as greeks claim the mantle of “leadership” on this

Instead of viewing these reports as an attack against the greek system, view this unveiling for what it truly is: an opportunity to cleanse the greek community of something corrupt, and move forward for the better.

campus, we must respect ourselves enough to not rely on the corrupt politics we have allowed to rule our community. What gives the Machine the right to choose who the leaders are on this campus? Why should you listen to what the Machine is telling to you to think, instead of thinking on your own? When did your own ideas, opinions and voices become irrelevant without the support of the Machine? The Machine claims that it was formed with positive ideals, goals of leadership and so on. And while the original goal of the Machine is important, it is ultimately irrelevant. What we must face is what the Machine is now, and right now it is a political party that is choosing to focus on personal gains rather than what is truly best for the community around it. But, as always, a silver lining exists. The greek system now has a unique opportunity before it. There are two obvious routes: one, continue to succumb to the Machine, and in doing so, admit to corruption; or two, the greek system can choose to wash their hands of this unnecessary Machine and learn to act fairly and truthfully, making the greek system a positive influence on this campus. My hope is that the greek community will reach the understanding that each individual has the ability and the choice to make their own decisions. Each sorority and fraternity now has an opportunity to lead other houses away from the dependency of a group that is nothing more than an elite club. It will be telling to see which houses will continue to numbingly follow the directions of the Machine, and which houses will be courageous enough to define themselves and deny the previously accepted obedience. Whether it is whom we vote for, what we do or what we as a greek system are proud to represent, we do not need to succumb to the demands of a secret, underground organization. We are above that (pun intended). What we have is an opportunity to end this destruction and amend the damage we have created. We, the greek system, must admit our faults, understand our wrongs, and vow to fix it. This is the only way we can grow as not only a greek community, but as a university. If we truly are of the best in the nation, we must take pride. I do not want to find myself ashamed of an organization that I was originally so proud to be a part of.

SoRelle Wyckoff is a junior majoring in history and English. Her column runs weekly on Mondays. y

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NEWS

Study says early classes may help boost grades By William Evans Senior Staff Reporter wjevans@crimson.ua.edu Students still registering for spring semester courses may want to begin their class schedules in the early morning. A pair of psychologists from St. Lawrence University in New York found that for every hour a class begins after 8 a.m., average GPA decreased by about a tenth of a point. Pamela Thacher, who cowrote the study, said a student with an early morning class would earn a higher grade in the same class taken later in the day. While some college students sleep in with the security of a late class schedule, high school and middle school students typically begin their school days at 8 a.m. Research suggests the early school days of high school and middle school students increase their likelihood of sleep deprivation, which can impair cognition and retention in the classroom. Thacher wanted to see if the theory behind early classes leading to sleep deprivation and thus poorer class performance holds true for college students. The conclusion: college students are getting more sleep due to later classes, but that prolonged sleep does not boost their GPAs. The culprit: late-night drinking. “One thing they don’t ask about a lot in high school is alcohol abuse and partying,” she said. “What we looked at was the possibility of students who like to drink choosing later class times in college. “Students in college who had later class start times were drinking more fre-

Class start time is not as important as what you do the night before. Classroom performance has a lot to do with drinking habits. — Pamela Thacher

quently and more heavily,” she said. “There’s a significant subset of students who are going out drinking when they have later class times.” At smaller universities, such as St. Lawrence University where Thacher works, not much choice exists for class times. The smaller student body and smaller faculty pool means fewer alternate sections for a particular class, which means a class schedule may have to begin early in the morning despite that schedule’s conflict with a student’s morning and evening habits. “There’s very little choice involved, so students must take the class that’s available,” she said. “It’s not up to students to build their schedules according to what they want, so most students end up taking a class when they can.” Still, at a larger collegiate institution such as Alabama, where alternate class times may be abundant, class time is not the best indicator of academic success. “Whether a night-owl or a lark, pretty much nobody does well if they stay up late and go drinking,” she said. “Class start time is not as important as what you do the night before. Classroom performance has a lot to do with drinking habits. “Class start time is what

students like to hear, that is if they’re assigned to an 8 a.m. class, they feel reassured because they get some benefit to divide their time up a little differently,” she said. “But without knowing the specific details of the student, early class start times keep you on the straight and narrow.” David DeWitt, senior fellow in the Blount Undergraduate Initiative, said he does not schedule any of the classes he teaches before 11 a.m. because bleary-eyed students in the morning show less interest in class and more interest in returning to bed. “At this point in my career, none of my classes have started before 11 a.m. and usually not until 3 p.m.,” he said in an emailed statement. “I wouldn’t want to start before 11 a.m. because my past history shows that earlier times bring more lethargy or indifference. Worst of all were 8 a.m. classes, in which students were often asleep at their desks.” Will Taylor, a junior majoring in journalism, said his engagement and performance in a class depends more on the appeal of the class than its time slot in the day. “If I’m really interested in the class, then time isn’t as much of a factor, but I generally don’t have trouble waking up and getting to class in the morning,” he said.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Acts of Kindness Fund helps students, faculty, staff recover By Taylor Holland News Editor newsdesk@cw.ua.edu In the days following the widespread destruction caused by the tornado on April 27, the University launched the UA Acts of Kindness Fund, a program used to provide financial assistance to negatively affected employees and students who qualify under the guidelines of this emergency-assistance program. In early May, the University’s Athletics Department made a $1 million donation, and the SEC donated $500,000 to the fund. To date, the fund has raised more than $2.6 million and distributed more than $1.4 million. “After looking into several ways to help during this trying time, we have decided to take funds of our own to assist those members of the UA community who are facing very difficult circumstances,” Director of Athletics Mal Moore said in a press release. “Our ability to help is a direct result of the incredible support of our fan base, whose continued support and enthusiasm makes everything we accomplish possible.” UA spokeswoman Cathy Andreen said 360 students, 26 faculty members and 198 staff members have received assistance from the UA Acts of Kindness Fund as of Oct. 25. Adam Melton, a UA student who received UA Acts of Kindness funds, was at his apartment complex, Arlington Square, when the tornado touched down. Melton said he lost 70 percent of his clothing, most of his books and photos, his apartment, all of his furniture and his car as a result of the storm. “Receiving the funds lowered my stress level completely,” Melton said. “It made the

fall semester much more bearable for me. It’s not like I wasn’t going to return [after April 27], but it made everything much easier.” There is no deadline for students, faculty and staff members to apply for the funds, as the UA Acts of Kindness Fund will now be a permanent fund used to give financial assistance as a result of a future disaster or undue hardship, Andreen said. All employee and student cases will be presented anonymously to the UA Acts of Kindness Fund committee, a group of UA employees who are appointed by the president, for consideration, according to the fund’s website. Tulane University in New Orleans, La., created similar funds to aid those affected following Hurricane Katrina’s landfall in 2005. Mike Strecker, director of public relations at Tulane, said students and the University’s administration provided housing for staff and students who were displaced by the hurricane, as well as rented out a cruise ship for displaced students to stay. Tulane administrators also implemented a public service requirement that all students must complete prior to graduating from the University. To meet the requirements, students must successfully complete one service-learning course at the 100-, 200- or 300-level before the end of their sophomore year, or fourth semester, on campus, as well as participate in a Center for Public Service approved program at the 300-level or above. “This program really allows students to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to real-world situations,” Strecker said. All student and university-created funds created following Hurricane Katrina have been dispersed, Strecker said.

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Chizik discusses meaning of Iron Bowl By Laura Owens Senior Sports Reporter lkowens@crimson.ua.edu @laurako_O

As Thanksgiving week approaches, so too does the Iron Bowl. With the game back to its usual Saturday kickoff, ESPN’s College Gameday is also making its way to Auburn, Ala., to see the No. 2 and No. 24 teams face off in one of the biggest rivalry games in college football. For the Alabama football players, this week is still a normal week of practice, and

it’s going to be the same in Auburn. Auburn head coach Gene Chizik said the team is looking forward to the challenge they face this Saturday. “This is a huge week and a great opportunity for us,” he said. “We’re playing a great football team, and so we’re going to go to work this week and try to get better.” Going into the fourth quarter of Auburn’s game Saturday against Samford, Auburn held a narrow 21-13 lead. The 7-4 Tigers were able to score two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to secure a 35-16 win.

But for this upcoming game, Chizik said the team will have to play even harder for a win. “We’re going to have to play, obviously, our best game of the year to be able to have a chance to win the game,” he said. “It’s going to be another great opportunity and another huge Iron Bowl game, and we’re looking forward to it.” While the game always has big implications for the state of Alabama, the Iron Bowl has also recently been more prominent on the national stage. With the recent release of ESPN’s documentary “Roll

Tide/War Eagle,” the game could garner even more attention. Chizik noted another reason that this rivalry has more interest. “I think in-state here, it’s always been about as big as you can get, but I think from maybe a national perspective, just people on the outside looking in, the fact is we both won a national championship in the last two years has probably given it some extra attention,” he said. While Auburn had some trouble with Samford,

Alabama likewise had a hard time defending Georgia Southern. The Eagles scored the most of any team the Crimson Tide has played this year. However, their option offense, while revealing a weakness in Alabama’s defense, is hard to imitate, and Chizik said that’s not Auburn’s focus. “I have watched the film, and Georgia Southern did a good job,” he said. “It’s a very difficult offense to defend because you don’t see it very often, but no, we’re going to do what we do.”

FOOTBALL

because an opportunity was presented to them, players must not forget to handle their own business. “What happened happened, alright,” Saban said. “We told everyone this morning that hasn’t changed. We asked everybody, ‘Do you know what your best is? We need your best the rest of the season.’” Though many expect Alabama to handle Auburn without much difficulty, Saban reminded players of last year’s Iron Bowl, where Auburn came back from a 24-point lead to beat the Tide. “He said he didn’t forget about last year,” Upshaw said. “He said he didn’t want to be in the state another year and have that happen again.” Auburn limited Trent Richardson to only 24 yards on 10 carries during last season’s Iron Bowl. The Heisman candidate will be looking for

redemption this time around. “It’s on my mind, yeah,” Richardson said. “But at the same time, you have to have a chip on your shoulder just knowing that Alabama and Auburn are out there playing.” Previously it was thought that the Tide would not have to only beat Auburn, but also beat them in an impressive manner, in order to impress voters. However, with Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Oregon all going down, style points do not appear to be an issue heading into Saturday’s Iron Bowl. “We are just going to go in and try to win the game,” Upshaw said. “We don’t really think about style. Of course we want to whoop these guys. It’s a rivalry game, and everybody is going to be hyped about it, but we are just going to go in and try to win the game.”

Continued from page 1

Page 6 • Monday, November 21, 2011 Editor • Tony Tsoukalas crimsonwhitesports@ gmail.com

SATURDAY • Men’s track and field vs Auburn: 12 p.m. •Gymnastics vs Georgia: 2 p.m.

SUNDAY • Swimming vs Tennessee: 12 p.m.

Later on Saturday, Oregon and Oklahoma also became victims of a wild night in college football, as Oregon fell to USC 38-35 and Oklahoma fell to Baylor 45-38. With both teams out of the BCS championship picture, Alabama may only need a win on Saturday against Auburn to secure a spot in the title game. “I watched the [Iowa State vs. Oklahoma State game] last night,” running back Trent Richardson said. “It just means we have to keep playing and keep fighting. You never know what can happen for real. Teams like that, Oklahoma State has a really good football team, but you got to be on your P’s and Q’s.” CW | Mitchell Hughes Head coach Nick Saban AJ McCarron throws a pass during the last home game of the season. stressed to his team that just

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MONDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2011

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Stiller surpasses his contemporaries in ﬁlm By Erich Hilkert

I have a confession to make: I kind of wanted to see “Tower Heist” upon its release. Truthfully, the reviews have actually been positive overall. Yes, the praise has been tepidly positive, but positive nonetheless. Critics have said it’s one of Eddie Murphy’s funnier movies in years. Hate to break the bad news, but that certainly isn’t saying much. But the bottom line is this: I have a soft spot for Ben Stiller. Even if a movie preview doesn’t look great, if he’s in it, consider me interested. While it’s good to see Stiller and Murphy team together, giving Alan Alda a more prominent role might have paid off nicely. Alda was incredible in “Crimes and Misdemeanors” as a pompous, hypocritical television producer. In “Tower Heist,” he again plays a pompous, money-hungry man, but his given profession is, officially, financier instead of producer. In thinking about who the

Page 8 • Monday, November 21, 2011 Editor • Stephanie Brumfield lifestyles@cw.ua.edu

TRUNK Continued from page 1

RA: The Trunk opened in 1946 and was originally a part of The Corner Store. Former owner Ginger Underwood then sold the business to us in 2002. CW: What kind of merchandise do you sell? RA: Our business is actually three businesses tied together under The Trunk name. The retail floor sells Alabama merchandise and greek merchandise. Within the Alabama sec-

funniest film actors are right now, Ben Stiller would rank near the top. A lot of the older comic actors are in more duds than winners. Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin and Robin William’s funniest days are probably over. Do I need to offer “Daddy Day Care” or “Cheaper by the Dozen” as evidence? Meanwhile, Stiller has proven himself to not only be consistently funny, but also a skilled actor. If you haven’t seen “Greenberg” yet, maybe you’ll scoff at such a suggestion. But Stiller was excellent in a dramatic role that showed off his acting chops. “Greenberg” was the first film to pair writer/director Noah Baumbach and Stiller. I’m happy to report they’re working on another film tentatively entitled “While We’re Young.” Stiller is just as good in the television medium as in film (with HBO and more progressive television programming today, the line has blurred). He had his own show back in 1992 and 1993. One of the best

episodes included a satirical spoof of “Die Hard,” where Stiller poked fun of how ridiculously implausible the movie is. Again, in 2005, he had a hilarious guest spot on the very first episode of the Ricky Gervais show “Extras.” He’s also had guest spots on “Arrested Development” and “The Simpsons.” I don’t pretend that every movie Stiller does is funny – far from it. But the man works tirelessly, and when an actor does so, he is guaranteed to appear in some bad movies. As Stiller argues in his funny scene on “Extras,” he is boxoffice gold. His movies always make money and usually lots of it. More times than not, he is funny, whether the entirety of the movie is or isn’t. Also, Stiller seems to constantly love his job. He had a cameo in the recent release “The Trip.” It was a memorable role because Stiller seemed to be clowning around with co-star Steve Coogan. Stiller is funny for a

tion, we sell high-end Arthur Court elephant merchandise, children’s clothing and our custom jerseys. We are really famous for our personalized Trunk jersey, where you choose your name and number to go on it. The second part of the business is contract sewing. We have four full-time sewers that work for us. We have a contract with the University of Alabama for sports, particularly football, basketball, gymnastics and softball. The athletes play in Nike jerseys that have been decorated here at The Trunk.

We are proud to say that the uniforms they play and practice in come from our store. We also hold contracts with local businesses selling our service of monogramming and embroidering shirts and anything you can think of. We will easily do hundreds of pieces in a week, and during a busy time we can do a thousand pieces a week. Our third aspect of the business is heybama.com. This website includes mostly the things you see on the retail floor, such as UA merchandise.

Rotten Tomatoes Ben Stiller continues to outspace his contemporaries in both dramatic and comedic roles. number of reasons. For starters, he’s pretty witty. He takes the absurd elements of the movie industry and turns them into humor, making fun of movie stars’ pampered lifestyles and bloated egos, and he even makes fun of himself. Most movie stars simply cannot bear to make fun of themselves. Doing so might hurt their confidence too much.

But Stiller isn’t just funny with words and situational humor. He has a physical brand of humor too. He doesn’t have to resort to fart jokes, but he plays up his short stature to comical effect and uses his eyes to convey humor. Often, his exaggerated facial expressions make for the funniest scenes in his movies. This is the sign of a gifted comic actor.

CW: What makes your merchandise different than other stores in Tuscaloosa? RA: What makes our business so successful is because everything you see hanging on the wall, clothing-wise, was made here. You can’t find that in other Alabama souvenir stores. It’s all one-of-a-kind items. You might see the same shirt in four different Alabama souvenir stores, and then you come here and see something different.

store? RA: It’s our fun business. The fans and alums that come in make it interesting and fun. People come to the ball games excited and ready for the atmosphere.

CW: Do you plan to stay at your current location? RA: Yes, our location is fantastic. We are centrally located for the campus; it makes us in a perfect situation. There is a lot of walking traffic and student housing. We plan to be CW: What do you enjoy most here until we grow out of our about being the owner of the space.

Single Pleaser PIZZA & PEPSI

8”Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza PLUS a Pepsi CAMPUS AREA

1211 University Blvd. across from Publix

366-1500