The Auburn Plainsman A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID www.theplainsman.com
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Vol. 117, Issue 20, 20 Pages
University considers smoking ban Students’ letter prompts discussion of smoke-free campus Liz Conn
S
ASSOCIATE CAMPUS EDITOR
mokers on campus may soon get burned. The Campus Health and Wellness Committee, made up of faculty, staff and students, is investigating the possibility of making Auburn a smoke-free campus. The initiative stems from a letter a group of students wrote to President Jay Gogue in spring 2010 asking him to consider eliminating smoking on campus. The main concern of the University is secondhand smoke, said Eric Smith, committee member and director of health promotion and wellness services. “I’ve always approached this as trying to protect the rights of a majority, not punish a minority,” Smith said. “Because if the majority of the population here isn’t smoking, but they have to walk through clouds of smoke just going about their daily business here, our environment is hurting them in that regard.” With more than 50 chemicals in cigarette smoke known to be direct causes of cancer, smoking kills approximately 400,000 people each year, Smith said. Of
that number, secondhand smoke kills 40,000. “You’re here to get an education, you’re here to work, you’re here to be part of the Auburn family, and you don’t need to be exposed to secondhand smoke as a part of that,” Smith said. “That’s the argument people are making.” In November, the Surgeon General released a report saying secondhand smoke is not safe to breathe at any level. “Smoking is bad for your health—period,” said Fred Kam, director of the AU Medical Clinic. “I understand it may inconvenience some people who are smokers, et cetera, but there is no health benefit that they will get out of continuing to smoke. If it’s something we can do to help decrease their risk factors for stroke, heart disease, cancer and other things, then it makes total sense.” In the United States, 466 college campuses have smoking bans, with the only one in Alabama being Calhoun Community College. In the SEC, Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt and Arkansas are smoke free. Georgia and Alabama are considering their options also, Smith said. Smith has organized a team of students and faculty to gauge opinions on the issue through surveys, a possible town forum and a newly launched blog. “The feedback I’ve received so far has been pretty positive for the most part,” Smith said. “We’ve talked to a lot of people
and a lot of different audiences, and generally speaking, people are OK with it.” Smith said an option for the University to consider is establishing “buffer zones,” or areas around buildings where smoking is prohibited to a certain distance. “You’ve got to make headway where you can,” Smith said. “If we’re enabling people to walk in and breathe clean air coming in the building, that’s a good thing. There’s a lot of good reasons out there for just going completely smoke free though, and that would be the preferred way to go.” Another reason, Smith said, is the cost associated with smoking—both for the University and for the state. Smith said research at the University of Kentucky estimated self-insured institutions spend an extra $5,200 in lifetime insurance costs per smoker. On a larger scale, the American Lung Association reported in 2010 that smoking costs Alabama $3.68 billion each year. Kam said he would expect a no-smoking
policy to cause a decrease in the number of smokers. “I think if it became more inconvenient, then there’s a higher likelihood that they would have more of an incentive to stop,” Kam said. Smith said the University would announce the policy far enough in advance to allow smokers time to prepare, as well as offer cessation programs to help smokers quit. “We wouldn’t want to say, ‘No smoking’ and not offer ways for students, faculty and staff to stop smoking,” Smith said. “The cessation programs are key.” Kim Trupp, director of housing, said she thinks a no-smoking policy might deter students from living on campus. “What may happen is, especially with first-year students, maybe mom, dad or whoever takes care of them doesn’t know they smoke,” Trupp said. “Mom and dad want them to live on campus, so they’re » See SMOKING, A2
Surveying begins for Rec Center Liz Fite
weight room, a one-third mile indoor inclined track, an outdoor pool, a threestory rock climbing wall, eight basketball courts, an indoor soccer field and a game room. “The cool thing about the running track is that it’s suspended, and it’s hanging from the ceiling, and it actually crisscrosses, and if you run around it almost gives you a self-tour of the building,” said Kurt Sasser, SGA president. The Wellness Center will also feature multiple men’s and women’s locker rooms with showers and will offer a wide variety of fitness classes and personal training options. Harper said the building was conceived as part of Auburn’s initiative to encourage a healthier, more active lifestyle. » See CENTER, A2
STAFF WRITER
EMILY ADAMS / PHOTO EDITOR
John Vollor examines the Toomer’s Oak tree as he places fresh dirt on the roots Wednesday morning.
Toomer’s fallout unites rivals Auburn-Alabama joint venture announced while rescue is still unlikely Eric Austin MANAGING EDITOR
One week after word broke that the oaks at Toomer’s Corner had been poisoned, a task force has begun its attempt to rescue the oaks and assess the damage to the surrounding soil. Gary Keever, professor of horticulture and member of the task force, said he was not optimistic about the chances of a recovery for the trees. “I’d put it between zero and 15 percent,” he said. Even so, workers have removed the topsoil surrounding the roots. Protective tents were placed over the uncovered roots, and more activated charcoal was applied in an attempt to stop further uptake of the deadly herbicide through the tree’s roots. Keever said the task force was INSIDE
Community » A3
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EMILY ADAMS / PHOTO EDITOR
Jay Amling, pesticide applicator for landscape services, spreads activated charcoal on the soil of the Toomer’s trees Wednesday afternoon. given extra help Sunday from a surprising source when workers from Alabama Plant Services, a Sylacaugabased company, came to Auburn to
Commentary » A5
| Campus » B1
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aid in the project. “These were Alabama people, and they volunteered their services,” Keever said. Clad in Crimson Tide T-shirts and using an industrial-strength vacuum, the company workers were able to remove the soil from the roots when the vacuum the University was using failed. “They’re part of our community and part of our state, and this was something we felt we could do to give back,” said Steve Sherbert, regional manager for the company. Sherbert said he and his men worked for about 18 hours on the soil. “These people were truly interested in helping us out,” Keever said. “There’s so much goodwill coming out of this that just amazes me.” The task force drenched the roots in water to keep them hydrated and new, herbicide-free top soil was packed into the tree beds with more activated carbon early Wednesday morning. As for the surrounding plant-life, Keever said their initial analysis was showing encouraging signs. Concentration of the herbicide was not found to be at lethal levels » See TOOMER’S, A2
Intrigue » C1
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Wasting Time » C2
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Surveying is underway as construction plans for the new Auburn University Recreation and Wellness Center are complete. “We are way behind the times with this building,” said Scott Harper, assistant director of recreational services. “It’s old, there’s not enough space, and it’s not designed like current rec centers.” Harper said his construction team is on target with the building plans, and they are excited to build a new facility for students. “We’re going to have all new equipment; everything is going to be brand new and state-of-the-art,” Harper said. “We’re not taking any of the old stuff and putting it in the new building.” Features of the center include a large cardio and
BY THE NUMBERS
RECREATION AND WELLNESS CENTER
$72 million Estimated total cost of the Center
$50 $100 $150 $200
total tuition spike, fall 2010 total tuition spike, spring 2011 total tuition spike, spring 2012 total tuition spike, cap until completion 2013
*tuition increased in $50 increments from 2010-2011 tuition
Wasting Time » C4
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Sports » D1
Recycled paper
News A2
The Auburn Plainsman
DUI ARRESTS IN THE CITY OF AUBURN FEB. 18 – FEB. 22, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
CRIME REPORTS FOR FEB. 18 – JAN. 1, 2011
■ Jessica L. Darby, 22, of Oakland, Calif.
Feb. 18 — Gentry Street Burglary of residence reported. One PlayStation 3 and one PSP.
East University Drive Feb. 19, 2:33 a.m.
■ John M. Wohlers, 19, of Montgomery
Feb. 18 — East University Drive Burglary of residence reported. One Dell computer, one passport, jewelry.
Shug Jordan Parkway Feb. 19, 2:59 a.m.
■ Thomas E. McBrayer, 21, of Montgomery
Feb. 18 — Bibb Avenue Burglary of residence reported. One Nintendo game console, game controllers, sunglasses.
South College Street Feb. 19, 5:48 a.m.
■ Stewart D. Willard, 19, of Lancaster, Pa. Shug Jordan Parkway Feb. 20, 12:07 a.m.
Feb. 18 — Aubie Drive Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One TomTom and one checkbook.
■ Amanda B. Harris, 33, of Enterprise South College Street Feb. 20, 12:15 a.m.
Feb. 18 — North Gay Street Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One Xbox 360 Arcade console, one IBM ThinkPad and $3.
Feb. 19 — Richland Drive Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One Louis Vuitton purse, one iPod, one debit card and $200.
Feb. 19 — Meagan Court Theft of property reported. One laptop.
Feb. 19 — Opelika Road Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One gold pendant.
Feb. 19 — Shelton Lane Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One TomTom and one CD.
Feb. 20 — Richland Drive Robbery reported. Two extra large pizzas and one pizza bag.
Feb. 19 — Shelton Lane Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One TomTom, jewelry.
Feb. 21 — Ty Court Burglary of residence reported. One flatscreen TV and one Xbox 360. — Reports provided by Auburn Department of Public Safety
■ Mary J. McClendon, 50, of Opelika South College Street Feb. 20, 1:08 a.m.
■ Benjamin D. Berntson, 34, of Onamia, Minn.
SMOKING
Annalue Drive at Thorpe Street Feb. 22, 2:36 a.m.
» From A1
kind of in between a rock and a hard place if that happens. Then hopefully that would be a motivation to quit smoking before they ever got here to campus.” Smith said the biggest hurdle his committee faces
is the question of how the policy would be enforced. “I don’t know if we have a lock stock answer on that yet,” Smith said. “It’s still being debated…We’re looking for ideas.” At some universities, a campus police force issues citations or tickets to people found smoking. Smith said Auburn
would not use police enforcement, instead treating student violations as a conduct issue and employee violations as a supervisory issue. Students and faculty can share their opinions at www.auburnsmokingpolicy.wordpress.com or by sending an e-mail to eric. smith@auburn.edu.
“I want to hear your feedback,” Smith said. “We need to hear not only from smokers who are anti, but from people who have educated themselves about the issue and feel that secondhand smoke is a public health issue. I hate for there to be this silent majority out there that doesn’t get heard.”
CONTRIBUTED
The new Auburn University Recreation and Wellness Center will include a one-third mile indoor inclined track.
CENTER » From A1
Jennifer Jarvis, director of recreational services, said the designers toured other wellness centers across the country for ideas, but ultimately the new center will be completely unique to Auburn. The 240,000 square-foot complex, which is two and a half times the size of the current recreation center, will be located along Heisman Drive between the coliseum and the arena. “It’s going to be right across the street from the new Village, so it’s going to
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TOOMER’S » From A1
outside of the two large oaks that were poisoned directly. However, Keever said further testing was needed and some areas did show high levels of the herbicide. “More than likely this contamination is from people walking in there, and tracking it out,” Keever said. Meanwhile, a joint
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Since Hayes’ administration, SGA has met with designers every Tuesday to plan the building from the ground up. “One thing that we wanted was for the building to be sustainable,” Sasser said. “That was a big thing coming from the president’s office and SGA because we wanted to be environmentally friendly. “The building is going to be a lot of brick, but it’s also going to be a lot of glass.” SGA is currently focusing on final details including carpet, furniture, food options and bathroom tile, Sasser said.
“Our students have been behind this 100 percent, and I can tell you this would not have happened without the support of our students,” Jarvis said. Jarvis said other key players in the project were the members of SGA and Ainsley Carry, vice president of Student Affairs. Groundbreaking for the building is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. April 15, the Friday before A-Day. The building is scheduled to be completed in two years. The future of the current, 26-year-old center is still undecided.
initiative was announced by Kurt Sasser, SGA president and a senior in human resource management, and James Fowler, SGA president at the University of Alabama. The two said sister trees would be planted on Auburn and Alabama’s campus with a plaque below them as a sign of unity between the two schools in light of the poisoning. “What we need to do needs to be more than a statement,” Sasser said. “It
needs to be a public display of mutual respect between the two universities.” No time line was given for when the trees would be planted. Sasser said the location of the tree on Auburn’s campus was not yet known, but he would be in consultation with University planners and wanted to get student feedback before a decision was made. “Students, fans, faculty and staff all stood disheartened, and the actions of a
few certainly do not represent our entire fan base and our Alabama family,” Fowler said. Fowler said he hoped the Toomer’s incident would strengthen the rivalry and partnership between the two schools. “There is a special bond that exists and that everyone knows about between Auburn and Alabama,” Fowler said. “When Auburn needs us, we’re there and when Alabama needs Auburn, they’re there.”
NEWS 334–844–9109 news@theplainsman.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Eric Austin
be almost like a backyard for our residents on campus,” Jarvis said. Initiative for the building began during SGA President Lauren Hayes’ administration. In February 2009, 73 percent of students voted to increase their student activities fees to fund the building, Sasser said. “What we really did was look for student input for the building and really try to make it a studentfriendly building because the students are paying for it, so we got lots of feedback and lots of surveys,” Sasser said.
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Pawn-shops » PAGE A4
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Thursday, February 24, 2011
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Page A3
Mall’s slow pace affects businesses Businesses in West Pace Village struggle to attract customers Morgan McKean WRITER
West Pace Village has yet to reach its apex since losing speed riding the economic roller coaster. Auburn’s first high-end outdoor shopping center has only added three businesses since 2005. The site is located on South College Street just beyond Interstate 85. Paul Brockwell, general manager of Lynch Toyota, one of the businesses in the auto mall, said the slow progress has affected his business, mostly because of a decrease in foot traffic. The two Lynch dealerships were previously located on South College Street adjacent to Big Blue Bookstore and Walmart. “We don’t have that natural drive-by traffic anymore,” Brockwell said. In the old location,
Brockwell said, they used to bring in many people who were out running errands or eating dinner. “We are at some disadvantage because unless you are coming out here to look at cars or to service cars, you really have no reason to be out here,” Brockwell said. “It’s been difficult getting the exposure so people know we are out here.” Lynch Nissan broke ground in the summer of 2008, and Lynch Toyota followed. Construction in the West Pace Auto Mall for Lynch Chevrolet–Cadillac is set to begin next week, Brockwell said. “Certainly, I think we expected a little more growth, but of course, nobody could have known the economy was going to go belly-up like it did,” he said. Lynch Nissan and Lynch Toyota were the first to build in the West Pace Auto Mall subsection, the outlying strip closest to I-85. A convenience store has recently been added to the property. Original plans by Tom Hayley of Hayley-Redd Development Co. included retail shopping, full-service » See WEST PACE, A4
CONTRIBUTED
Construction on West Pace Village, located on a 165-acre plot near I-85, began in 2005 and is currently home to Lynch Toyota and Lynch Nissan. The infrastructure is already in place for more businesses to move in.
CONTRIBUTED
West Pace Village is zoned to be a shopping center and will include restaurants and movie theaters in addition to the existing auto mall. The auto mall is the first phase of a four-phase development plan.
Federal budget cuts to decrease Pell Grant funds Victoria Rodgers WRITER
MARIA IAMPIETRO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
The City Council recently applied for a grant for money to supplement Auburn’s already existing recycling program.
City applies for recycling grant Alexandria Smith WRITER
Foliage in Auburn is getting greener, and so are the city’s plans for sustainability. To receive money to maintain and enhance Auburn’s recycling initiative, the city of Auburn recently submitted an application to the Alabama Recycling Grants Program. Auburn is part of the East Alabama Recycling Partnership, which includes Auburn, Opelika, Lee County and the University. This is the third year the East Alabama Recycling Partnership has applied for a grant from the state. “Last year, we received around $160,000 for the partnership program,” said Kevin Cowper, assistant city manager. “The recycling partnership gets together and applies for funds. We take a more regional approach to recycling.” Cowper also said all partners would have to present the fund application to their city councils for approval. The Auburn City Council voted to apply for the grant Feb. 16, and a verdict will be reached sometime this spring. Andre Richardson, division manager for recycling, helped write the grant application.
“
We are not where we want to be as far as recycling in buildings such as the Student Center or the library.” —Donald Addison CAMPUS RECYCLING AND WASTE DIVISION MANAGER
This year, the partnership has applied for about $65,000 to develop the existing programs in Auburn and to implement two new programs that have not yet been announced, Richardson said. Richardson said some of the money will go to more drop-off stations. These stations can be seen downtown on North College Street and West Magnolia Avenue and allow people to easily drop off aluminum, plastic and newspapers. Since the University is part of this partnership, it will also benefit from the pending grant. “The residence halls recycling is great, but there are not very many viable programs around campus,” said
Donald Addison, manager of the recycling and waste division on campus. “We are not where we want to be as far as recycling in buildings such as the Student Center or the library.” Addison also said if the partnership receives the grant, the University will be able to purchase a cardboard baler for the arena, where cardboard recycling is not possible at this time. Also, the money will go toward desk-side recycling bins for faculty and more aesthetically-pleasing bins, which will become standard in several buildings on campus. For all factions of the partnership, some of the money will go to educational materials about recycling that will inform the communities of ways to get involved and how recycling is becoming easier in Auburn. Auburn’s current recycling program includes curbside collection and a few drop-off centers around the area. Materials that can be collected curbside are newspaper, flattened cardboard, aluminum and clear or brown glass. To recycle other materials such as green glass, ink-jet and laser-jet cartridges, alkaline batteries and mixed paper, individuals must go personally to a recycling drop-off center and leave the items.
President Obama’s budget plan will inevitably cut a significant amount of money out of the Pell Grant program, but there are still a lot of pieces missing to the budget’s puzzle. All higher education institutions will be affected by cuts in Pell Grants, but Auburn’s financial aid services are still wondering about the plan. There have not been any definite decisions made about the Pell Grant, but the federal government plans on saving billions of dollars next year by cutting funds from budgets, according to the Associated Press. There are two proposals that may be the solution for the new budget. The first proposal would end the policy that allows students to collect two grants in one calendar year. This idea may be able to
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You don’t want to go backwards on it for the neediest students. That would definitely hurt them.” —Michael Reynolds EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES
save approximately $8 billion next year. The other proposal would reduce or eliminate loan subsidies for graduate and professional students, which could save nearly $2 billion. Both proposals would need approval from Congress. “Basically what happened » See PELL, A4
BY THE NUMBERS
$10 billion Estimated total savings from Pell Grant budget cuts
$8 billion $2 billion
savings from cutting funding for summer semester savings from cutting funding for graduate and professional students
Community A4
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Reported burglaries decrease during 2010 Crystal Cole SPORTS EDITOR
CHRISTEN HARNED / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
West Pace is home to the Lynch family of auto dealerships, which were previously located on South College Street.
WEST PACE » From A3
restaurants, car dealerships, hotels and a movie theater. Hayley was not available to comment. According to plans submitted to the City Council, the auto mall is the first phase of the four-phase process. Next to be developed would be the outlying lots closest to I-85, suitable for restaurants and other stand-alone businesses. “You have to keep in mind that we are coming off probably the worst recession since World War II, so retail has been pretty slow all over, not just at West Pace,” said Phillip Dunlap, director
PELL
» From A3 is they overspent, and now they are trying to cut back for things they just spent for,” said Michael Reynolds, executive director of student financial services. The Pell Grant is government money awarded to students who need the most financial help to earn a higher education degree. “You don’t want to go backward on it for the neediest students,” Reynolds said. “That would definitely hurt them.” Although there will be cuts in the grant, it will only affect the summer semester, which is better than cutting off the fall and spring semesters, Reynolds said. Auburn students received an e-mail from the financial aid office explaining the grant will change, but the details of those changes are still unclear. Those who received the Pell Grant under the original conditions and terms should not receive any less funding, but there are still a
of economic development. Infrastructure such as water and sewage for the 165-acre property has already been completed. “I don’t know if there’s anything official out there, but as far as we know there are some people who are looking at the property now that maybe weren’t looking at this property a year and a half ago when the economy was where it was,” Brockwell said. Brockwell expects the development to bring a lot to the city, not only by way of tax revenue, but also a more high-end market than what Auburn is used to. “Hopefully we’ll see some really good things coming out here,” he said. lot of decisions to be made. “I have a ‘wait and see’ attitude,” said Matt Kelly, senior in prelaw and Pell Grant recipient. “I just have to wait and see how it affects my grant because I really do depend on it.” It will be hard to tell whether budget cuts in the Pell Grant will affect enrollment at Auburn since there has not been a definite decision made on the budget. “I think it will be more strenuous requirements so it will be a little bit harder to get,” Kelly said. Reynolds said the money saved from the funding cuts in the Pell Grant is strictly to recover for overspending. Its savings will not be disbursed into other scholarships or grants. Reynolds said he wants to use all the money the office receives from the federal government to help students pay for college. “I received financial aid through this office,” Reynolds said. “I would have never received a degree if it had not been for financial aid. I feel like I’m an excellent example of its importance.”
According to an analysis of burglary reports by Auburn police, the city saw a decline in burglaries during 2010. The analysis showed a decrease in the total number of burglaries by 17 percent. Capt. Tom Stofer said many different factors contributed to the decrease in burglaries. “I think we can contribute that to many things; No. 1 is increased patrols, especially in those areas where we’ve experienced burglaries in the past,” Stofer said. “I think we can also attribute it to citizens becoming more involved. We seem to be getting more people calling us when they see suspicious activity or suspicious persons in their neighborhood.” Detailed reports revealed the rate of residential burglaries decreased by 14 percent, business burglaries decreased by 39 percent and auto burglaries decreased by 16 percent. Christen McFarland,
sophomore in graphic design, has lived in several different areas of Auburn and now has an apartment off Thach Avenue. McFarland said she has dealt with several robberies in her time here and was glad to see a decrease in crimes. “I’ve had people break into my car before and take things,” McFarland said. “I’ve had neighbors get their apartments broken into, and that’s worse because you live in fear for a bit. I’m really glad to know there’s been improvement there.” The analysis showed in December 2010 total burglaries decreased by 47 percent compared to December 2009, a month when the number of burglaries usually increases because of students leaving for the holidays. Stofer said the police department’s pass check program is becoming increasingly popular for students who leave during the break. “We’ll do more than just drive by your house,” Stofer said. “We’ll walk around the home, check the windows
and doors t o make s u r e t h e y ’r e secure and that there are no obvious signs of intrusion. “That’s just a public service we provide, and as more people learn about the program, the more people are taking advantage of it.” McFarland said the program makes her feel more comfortable about leaving her apartment unattended for the holidays as she travels back home to Birmingham. “It’s not like I can run down and make a two hour drive every time I think something’s off,” McFarland said. “So it’s nice to be
able to call up the cops and have them check on things for me, and I know they’ll do a good job.” Stofer said although there was a decrease in burglaries last year, citizens shouldn’t let their guards down. Stofer said a few armed robberies in the area, along with reported break-ins at apartments on Longleaf Drive, have yet to be solved. “Anybody that can assist police in providing us any information or anything, just give us a call,” Stofer said. “We’re still looking for the suspect or suspects in that case.”
REBEKAH WEAVER / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
A customer of Money Mizer Pawn and Jewelry browses pawned DVDs. Pawnshops are alternatives to department stores.
Pawnshops thrive despite economy Miranda Dollarhide INTRIGUE EDITOR
With the current state of the economy, pawnshops are no longer attracting just gun enthusiasts. Hank Richards, co-owner of Money Mizer Pawn and Jewelry on Opelika Road, said the shop gets a wide range of customers. “It’s been a cross section between high-end people and people just struggling to get by,” Richards said. Co-owner of Money Mizer Pawn and Jewelry Rick Snell said people are attracted to pawnshops because it’s a lot easier than going to the bank to borrow money for household expenses. “With employment the way it is, people don’t have access to go to the bank anymore,” Snell said. “They can’t do it. Most banks have a $5,000 minimum.” Snell, a former banker, said 28 percent of the population doesn’t even have a checking account. “If they default, we don’t report it to the credit bureau, so it won’t go towards their credit,” Snell said. The pawn business thrives most during January, February and March. Matt Hill, manager of Title Bucks on Opelika Road, said he’s recently had an
abundance of people paying off their pawns, especially with their tax refund money. “In the past, people borrowed more money and didn’t pay it off,” Hill said. “Now, a lot more people are paying them off and being smarter with their money.” People are also frequenting pawnshops to get a little extra money for spring break trips. Aaron Bushey, owner of Almost Anything Computers on North Gay Street, said when Spring Break comes around, students will ask themselves two questions when pawning their possessions. “‘Can I buy an extra night at the hotel or get an extra case of Bud Light?’” Bushey said as an example. Bushey said he caters mainly to students because the store is near campus. Bushey said the most popular items his store receives are iPods. “They pawn stuff they don’t have to have,” Bushey said. “They will trade in their 30 gig iPod when they use their 60 gig iPod.” At other pawnshops farther away from student living, their most popular items are guns and jewelry. Richards said people have realized they have the
REBEKAH WEAVER / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Guns sit on display at Money Mizer Pawn and Jewelry. same ability as a department store to sell quality items. “We keep the store clean and looking like any retail store,” Richards said. “They can come in and browse in comfort without the store looking junky.” During the latter parts of
the year, Snell said they do just as well. “Business does good in good times and in bad,” Snell said. Snell said people will always need money, especially for special events like graduations, birthdays and Christmas.
Commentary
A5
www.theplainsman.com
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Community
Our View
Much to consider with smoking ban As a University committee considers changes to the smoking policy on campus, it is important for all points of view to be heard and considered. So far, the committee seems to be doing a stand-up job of giving both students and faculty an outlet for communicating their opinions on whether to ban smoking on campus. A variety of input is needed when considering a decision that will potentially affect a sizable minority of students and faculty. Smoking kills. There is no denying the facts. The habit has been linked to several types of cancer and other respiratory illnesses. Now, a finding by the Surgeon General has finally shown a direct link between secondhand smoke and cancer. This and a letter from a group of students prompted the University to form the committee to explore the possibility of a campus-wide smoking ban. The University is well within its rights to consider such a ban. Several schools in the
SEC have already done so, and smoking bans in bars, restaurants and public parks have become more popular nationally. However, this does not mean the University should hastily react in light of the Surgeon General’s report with a blanket ban on smoking. Careful consideration is needed, and it seems that the committee is doing just that. There are alternatives to a campus-wide smoking ban. Specific areas could be designated as smoking zones, or the University could mandate no smoking within a hundred feet of any campus building. Such policies would allow smokers to maintain their lifestyle while keeping secondhand smoke out of the lungs of passersby. However, the University could argue that setting up smoking zones would in fact be acknowledging and condoning a bad habit. It may be that the status quo is the only possible alternative to a campus ban. Yet even if the University
“
You’re here to get an education… and you don’t need to be exposed to secondhand smoke as a part of that.” —Eric Smith “GOING UP IN SMOKE,” A1
Last week’s question:
How did you react to the news about Toomer’s oaks? I was angry, but calm 42% HELEN NORTHCUTT / GRAPHICS EDITOR
proceeds with its smoking ban, it will be difficult to enforce. Campus police and security are not everywhere at once, and smokers will undoubtedly take measures to thwart the policy the same way dorm residents smuggle alcohol and illegal drugs. Regardless, many students will not wish to take the risk of suffering whatever penalties the University chooses to impose for violations of the policy, and perhaps some will instead try to quit smoking. Or maybe it will only create a
small minority of students anxious in class, itching to leave campus to satisfy their nicotine craving. It is clear there is no easy answer to the University’s question of a campus smoking ban. The committee must proceed carefully, considering all points of view along the way. Regardless of its decision, the University considering such a ban shows it holds the health and safety of its students to the utmost importance. For this, we should all be grateful.
Broke down and cried 26% Pitchforks and torches! 32%
This week’s question:
Should the University ban smoking on campus? ❍ Yes ❍ No ❍ Yes, but with smoking buffer areas
Vote at www.theplainsman.com
Your View
Education bureaucrats need to go Student section They’re ba-a-ack! I’m referring to the Total Quality Management folks, a hardy management sect last detected at Auburn in the administration of TQMer William Muse. By the time Muse left, biology, music, sociology and anthropology, geography, and economics were struggling with various wounds and shocks largely arising from his madcap management methods; some of those wounds and shocks have never been fully recovered from. And there were a number of small deaths, like that of the master’s degree in political science, that were brought about for no good reason. The latest eruption comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in the form of a demand for quality enhancement plans from every one of the institutions of higher education trembling under its boot. SACS has the power to withhold accreditation from, and thus to financially cripple, any one of those
institutions that will not bend to its will, and its will has become steadily more capricious as the decades have rolled by. This latest command from on high verges on the Stalinesque; another cockamamie, time-wasting project from educationists whose power has twisted their judgment. In my opinion, the best thing we could do for higher education in the Southeast would be to launch an assessment and investigation of SACS and to reread carefully and consider renegotiating whatever the agreement was that delivered us into the clutches of our regional accreditation agency, with apparently no statutory check on its power within its domain. But while we are waiting for justice to rain upon us, and just in case the rain doesn’t come before the next assessment is completed, here is an idea for a quality enhancement plan for Auburn: let’s plan to restrain and reverse the painful swelling of the
administrative tissues of the University and to invest the funds that would be released thereby in graduate teaching assistantships, especially in those departments, like English, history, mathematics and statistics, which have many more excellent applicants for admission to graduate study than they can currently support with assistantships and which have a need for these GTAs to teach classes or problem sessions in lower level courses in those disciplines. Part of the mission of a flagship research university is to prepare graduate students for academic positions they might hold after obtaining their degrees, and in a number of disciplines the employment of the graduate students as lab assistants, or recitation instructors, or even classroom teachers in lower level courses, is an important part of that preparation. On the other hand, the quality of the educational experience for the undergraduates who have an
actual human before them who can discuss and explain must surely exceed (OK, usually exceed) the quality of the experience in courses taught “online.” So, an investment in graduate teaching assistantships would improve the quality of Auburn undergraduate education (since “online” instruction is quite common now at Auburn, I hear) AND advance one of Auburn’s grand purposes, the preparation of graduate students. We are told that online instruction is a necessary evil because of lack of funds, yet every month, it seems, brings a call for applicants for “director of this” or “associate provost or dean in charge of that,” new administrative positions, evidently. The time has come for our administration to examine itself and weigh the importance of these positions, indeed of all positions, against the core needs and mission of the University. —Peter Johnson Department of mathematics and statistics
Honor of Toomer’s best preserved by passing on to a new generation of fans To the editor: When the news hit about the oaks at Toomer’s Corner, we all were angered and crushed. In the days since, I’ve read and heard numerous comments from fans of what should be done with the oak trees should they die. I say should because I hold out hope that the tough ole’ trees will fight this chemical weapon the same way it has stood the test of time. But if the herbicide is too strong, what shall we do to honor the life of this storied tradition? Some have suggested to bronze the trees before they
die or build a statue of the trees in their place. Others have said to use parts of the tree for a monument in Jordan-Hare or other locations. While all of these ideas seem great, let’s not forget what makes this tradition so special. Auburn is not a place for traditions of statues you gaze at or touch. Auburn is about living tradition: a walk with its fans, a battle cry that extends social/economic standards, a flight of an eagle and the beauty of a tree blowing in the wind filled with toilet paper. Each of these are living traditions passed down
through generations. Such should be the legacy of the oaks. Once the poison is gone from the rich Auburn soil, the best fitting tribute would be to pass the corner of Magnolia and College to the next generation of Oaks. Just as alumni pride themselves in being able to carry on their ancestors tradition of being an Auburn Tiger, so should the seedlings of Toomer’s oaks, which are maintained by The School of Forestry and Wildlife Science. Until that day comes, the Auburn Family has the opportunity to spread the seed of Toomer’s oaks across the
state and nation, not only in their own yards, but in parks or gardens. The spirit of Auburn is alive. So shall be the spirit of Toomer’s Oaks.
—Chris Megginson Birmingham, Al
should stop cheer As a proud Auburn graduate and fan, I ask that fans in the student section at AU men’s basketball games cease and desist with yelling “You suck!” at all opposing players every time they are taken out of the game. Not only does the practice not make any sense—all players are substituted for in a game no matter how well or poorly they are playing (and let’s be real, most teams are playing better than us this season)—but it also is completely classless and well beneath the
standard to which we in the Auburn family strive. This takes on even greater importance now that our actions as AU fans will be under greater national scrutiny in light of the recent tree poisonings. So for these last few games of the season and all seasons going forward, please knock it off with this garbage, basketball fans! Pour 100 percent of your energy into positive support for our own hard-working players! WAR EAGLE! —Tony Borelli Class of 2000
Condolences from a Duck fan To the editor: First—I have to say I’m not a student. Second—I have to say I’m a Duck fan. With those aside, it should be said that what has happened with Toomer’s oaks is a tragedy and shouldn’t happen to any school. We played a great national championship together, and you guys were classy opponents. There was no terrible ugliness between our schools, and that alone is something to celebrate. It was also one of the best games in recent memory. A last second comeback by us, an amazing run by Dyer and a last second field goal by you guys? Can a better game be asked for? So with that, it definitely needs to be said that you guys don’t deserve this. We don’t have a tradition as old as those trees. But we do feel as proud of our school as you all must. And when something like this happens, it is a crime against that
pride. People are trying to take it away and diminish it. But they can’t, truly. And I guess this comes down to the fact that I—a Duck fan since the day I was born—am proud of you all too. To be able to stand and rally in the face of something like this takes incredible strength. I wish I could’ve been at the rally to stand with you all as a sign of respect because I know that I respect you all. And everyone should. Good luck next season, and I definitely hope that we play again. So, with solidarity, I personally want to wish you all the best and say that I was proud to have the Tigers play us and proud to see how much love you all have for your school. I hope the trees survive. And good luck next season. Keep faith, be strong. This Duck stands with you in the wake of this sad event. —Ian H.
The Editorial Board
Mailing Address
Submissions
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Rod Guajardo
Derek Lacey
Adam Bulgatz
EDITOR
CAMPUS EDITOR
DESIGN EDITOR
Eric Austin – chair
Miranda Dollarhide Emily Clever
Auburn Student Center Suite 1111H Auburn, AL 36849
MANAGING EDITOR
INTRIGUE EDITOR
COPY EDITOR
Contact
Jillian Clair
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NEWS EDITOR
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Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .334–844–4130 Email . .opinion@theplainsman.com
The Auburn Plainsman welcomes letters from students as well as from faculty, administrators, alumni and those not affiliated with the University. Letters must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. on the Monday for publication. Letters must include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification, though the name of the author may be withheld upon request. Submission may be edited for grammar and/or length.
The opinions of The Auburn Plainsman staff are restricted to these pages. These unsigned editorials are the majority opinion of the 9-member editorial board and are the official opinion of the newspaper. The opinions expressed in columns and letters represent the views and opinions of their individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the Auburn University student body, faculty, administration or Board of Trustees.
Community A6
The Auburn Plainsman
Alvin Willis works hard to keep Auburn the cleanest village on the Plains Mackenzie Cogle WRITER
Alvin Willis, employee of the environmental services department, takes pride in keeping the Loveliest Village on the Plains looking its best. Willis works from 5 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. seven days a week and on holidays to maintain the downtown area. He was recognized by the City Council last May for 20 years of service. Willis said he loves making sure Auburn looks nice for students, residents and
visitors. “I really enjoy doing what I do,” Willis said. With the celebrations that usually follow home football games, Willis has his work cut out for him. The morning after a game, Willis said he reports to the environmental services office at 4:30 a.m. to see what his job will entail that day and figure out where to send crews to clean up. The cleanup typically requires about eight crew members and two sweepers. Willis and his crew begins their cleanup on Magnolia Avenue before moving on to College and Gay streets. During the football offseason, Willis’ major work days start Thursday, cleaning up after the bar crowd, and end Sunday afternoons. Willis said cleaning up cigarette butts is a neverending task. “Alvin is very dedicated and takes his own initiative to get the job done,” said Tim Woody, director of environmental services. Catrina Cook, assistant director of environmental
services, has worked with Willis for 13 years and said she admires his positive attitude. Cook said she was impressed one Sunday morning to see Willis and another employee working with an unusual tool to get toilet paper off of the trees. Cook learned the two had assembled the tool themselves using PVC pipe. Willis said although he has to clean up the toilet paper after games, he enjoyed the national championship celebration. After watching the national championship on TV, Willis joined the rest of the Auburn family in rolling Toomer’s Corner and downtown. “I was very excited,” Willis said. “It was something I’ve always waited for.” An avid Auburn football fan, Willis gets season tickets every year. He said seeing the excitement of Auburn fans after the championship game is his favorite memory at Auburn. Because of freezing temperatures, cleaning up after
Thursday, February 24, 2011
EMILY ADAMS / PHOTO EDITOR
Alvin Willis has been working for the city of Auburn for 20 years. He leads the Toomer’s Corner cleanup team and keeps the streets downtown clean daily. the Jan. 10 victory was a weeklong process. However, Willis said he was glad the trees were able to stay rolled longer than usual because the fans who went to Glendale were able to see Auburn still decorated as they returned to the Plains. When he’s not working to
keep Auburn clean, Willis said he enjoys fishing and providing yard services for Auburn residents. Willis also serves as a deacon for Mount Zion Missionary Church of Loachapoka. In the future, he said he plans to retire and continue
AUBURN GAS MONITOR
CALENDAR: THURSDAY, FEB. 24 – SATURDAY, MARCH 5 SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY 25
Tango Fire
■ Opelika
Performing Arts Center ■ 7:30 p.m.
27
2011 SEC Hockey Playoffs ■ Columbus Civic Center ■ 1 p.m.
28
1
2
Education Auburn City Interview Day Council
■ Hotel at AU
and Dixon CC ■ 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Men’s Basketball vs. Ole ■ City Council Miss
Chamber, 141 North Ross Street ■ 7 p.m.
■ Auburn Arena ■ 7 p.m.
3
26
2011 SEC Hockey Playoffs ■ Columbus Civic Center ■ 1 p.m.
4
Women’s Tennis vs. Georgia
WEEK OF FEB. 20
SATURDAY
24
5
Fat Cat Mardi Gras Ball
■ Yarbrough
his yard service business. Willis said he thinks Auburn is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. He lives in Auburn with his wife and 14-year-old son. Willis was recently featured in an “Inside Auburn” video that is found on CityofAuburnAL’s YouTube page.
■ Event Cen-
Location
Reg
Mid
Prem
Shell — Glenn and Gay
3.009
3.129
3.249
Walmart — South College
3.129
3.249
3.369
Circle K — Glenn and Gay
3.139
3.279
3.419
Chevron — University
3.159
3.259
3.359
BP — Samford and Gay
3.159
3.259
3.599
Chevron — South College
3.159
3.359
3.559
Shell — Wire
3.169
3.309
3.449
Exxon — Wire
3.199
3.299
3.399
Chevron — Glenn
3.199
3.369
3.499
Chevron — Wire
3.199
3.399
3.499
Average
3.152
3.291
3.44
ter Downtown Tennis Center in Opelika ■ 2:30 p.m. ■ 6 p.m.
$3.40 $3.15 $2.90 $2.65 $2.40 Jan.27, 2011
Feb. 3, 2011
Regular
Feb. 10, 2011
Mid
Feb. 17, 2011
Premium
STUDENT SPECIAL* chicken joey jr.
chips and salsa and a regular drink
$5.50
Including Tax Upgrade to Steak for only $6.27. *Not valid with any other offers. Must present valid student id. Valid only at participating locations.
For delivery call 334.887.2MOES. We deliver from 5-9
Campus
The history of costume
Vet School Construction
» PAGE B3
» PAGE B4
www.theplainsman.com
Thursday, February 24, 2011
B Page B1
Students take aim at hunger with laser tag tournament supporting the World Food Programme Liz Fite STAFF WRITER
There are many ways to battle hunger, but laser tag is not usually a common form of combat. The “Zap Out Hunger” Laser Tag Tournament, which benefits the World Food Programme, will do just that Saturday in the Student Center ballroom. “I ran for Miss Auburn last year, and this was the platform that I based my campaign on,” said Alysha Kambeyanda, senior in industrial design and organizer of the tournament. “I just wanted to carry it out and get people more excited about fighting for a good cause.” Kambeyanda said even though she didn’t win, she
still wanted to make the laser tag tournament happen. The reality of the tournament coming together started taking shape toward the end of fall semester. “The Division of Student Affairs is allowing each candidate to carry out their platform ideas which is really great,” Kambeyanda said. She said the Division of Student Affairs is sponsoring the event, but the hope is that the tournament will raise enough money to offset the cost of hosting it. “There’s an online donation that people can do, and that money goes to the World Food Programme USA, but the proceeds from the tournament and T-shirt sales will go to the World
Food Programme—some of it is domestic and some of it is international,” Kambeyanda said. As of Feb. 20, $2,500 had been raised. Participants are able to sign up online a n d in the Student Center until 5 p.m. Feb. 25. “We’re trying to also get the community involved—you don’t have to be a student at Auburn to play—so we’d love for high school students or kids to come out,”
ZAP OUT HUNGER BENEFITINGTHE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME USA
said Rachel Coffey, senior in communication disorders. “We have a time from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for the kids to play.” As of Feb. 20, 55 teams were signed up, but Kambeyanda said s h e hopes t o have b e tween 80 and 90 teams competing. According to Bailey Hayes, senior in communication disorders, there are approximately 30 student volunteers working to help organize the tournament.
“A lot of times when these things are put on it’s because you’re in the organization or you’re in a sorority or a Greek affiliation and that is your support,” Hayes said. “But it’s just been neat to see Alysha’s support, and it’s friends and people from all over campus all from different backgrounds.” In preparation for the tournament, along with planning the actual event, organizers have been painting billboards to promote the tournament and asking for donations from local businesses, Hayes said. “Our goal was to get 50 local business to give $50, either monetary donations or gift cards, to go to supporting the tournament,” Hayes said.
Teams will include four people. Individuals are also encouraged to sign up and will be assigned a team, Hayes said. The fee to enter is $15 per person, and that includes playing laser tag, a shirt, snacks and entertainment at the event, including appearances by Aubie and AU Rhythm. According to Coffey, people who pay $15 to register will receive 10 spirit points, or people can purchase the shirt for $10 and receive two spirit points. The tournament will be organized with brackets and a double elimination system. The prize for winning the tournament will be a tour of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
WHAT: LASER TAG TOURNAMENT WHEN: SATURDAY, FEB. 26 WHERE: STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM
Coalition competes to fight global issues Chelsea Harvey ASSISTANT CAMPUS EDITOR
MARIA IAMPIETRO / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
The MRI Research Center will receive a 7 Tesla MRI scanner in August 2011. The machine will be the most powerful MRI scanner in the state of Alabama.
Largest MRI machine in state coming to Auburn Annie Faulk STAFF WRITER
Auburn’s newly constructed Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center will soon house the largest MRI machine in Alabama. In the fall, Auburn opened the MRI Research Center to house the 7 Tesla MRI scanner. The Center already operates a 3T MRI scanner, which is used for clinical purposes. The 7T MRI will be useful for research and medical purposes. “One is how the brain works in cognitive tasks such as regulating emotions and making decisions,” said Thomas Denney, the director of Auburn’s MRI Research Center. MRI scanners
“
For Auburn, it is a great opportunity to expand on research to put itself on the global map.” —Fred Kam DIRECTOR, AU MEDICAL CLINIC
use a series of magnets to produce non-invasive images of the body. The 7T magnet is approved for humans for nonclinical purposes. According to Gopikrishna Deshpande, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering,
with the use of the 7T MRI, it is possible to capture images of certain molecules inside the human body. “It is a unique opportunity for people at Auburn interested in doing animal imaging to leverage this advantage,” Deshpande, who works with the MRI Center, said. The scanner is also used to see how joints heal after an injury or surgery. “We will also develop new techniques for imaging the human body with 7T MRI and ways to make 7T MRI scanners easier to use,” Denney said. “Long term, we plan to use 7T MRI to image the heart and conduct research on diseases such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and cancer.” With fewer than 30 7T magnets in the world, Auburn is only one of five schools in the United States which has the technology to perform advanced scans. “Auburn received the machine through a partnership with the Siemens corporation,” said Fred Kam, Medical Clinic director. Kam said Siemens and the College of Engineering are working together to develop this technology. » See MRI, B2
Auburn is currently ranked 11th in the ONE Campus Challenge, an annual nationwide competition that takes place Feb. 1 through Mar. 31. The challenge is hosted by ONE, an organization that campaigns against world hunger, poverty, disease and other global issues. “It’s a national organization; it’s a bunch of nonprofit organizations that are doing work in the field,” said Nathan Warner, senior in ecological engineering and campus leader for the ONE Campus Challenge. The goal of the Campus Challenge is to raise awareness about global issues on college campuses and recruit people to aid in the ONE campaign. Throughout the competition, campuses try to earn points through various actions. “It’s a point-based system where you get points for the number of, they call it recruits or the number of people that you have, the number of people that you invite, the number of people that sign the petition for vaccines,” Warner said. Schools can also gain points by organizing campus events and responding to weekly challenges initiated by ONE. “The main thing is just we want to get people excited about what’s going on at the Auburn campus,” Warner said. “We want to get them engaged and to take the initiative.” At the end of the competition, the campus with the most points will be awarded a prize. “So once they pool up all the points at the end, I know the winning team will go to Washington, D.C., for a conference, so that’s kind of a perk,” said Nathan Gray, sophomore in biomedical sciences and assistant for Auburn’s ONE campaign. Representatives from the winning campus will have the opportunity to meet the ONE leadership team and ONE co-founder, Bono, and will help present the ONE campaign in meetings with government officials. However, for Warner, Gray and the rest of Auburn’s ONE representatives, the point of the challenge is not to win.
“Pretty much what we’re wanting to do is to create kind of a hub, just a network to be able to connect all the different organizations on Auburn’s campus,” Gray said. Warner said he hoped to use the ONE Campus Challenge as a springboard for increased communication among service and humanitarian organizations at Auburn. His final goal is a coalition of all the organizations that will last beyond the ONE campaign. “The ONE Campus Challenge, we’re using that as a kickoff event for this student citizenship initiative,” Warner said. “So that’s connecting, involving student organizations that weren’t involved.” Gray said he hopes the coalition will help student organizations communicate with one another about the various projects they are working on and maximize student awareness of issues that are being tackled in the community and around the world. “We want to find people that are already doing great things on Auburn’s campus and we want them to see that through this coalition they can do a better job at what they’re doing,” Gray said. “And they can know how other people and other organizations can partner with them, whether it’s a volunteer project or, you know, the Zap Out Hunger campaign, the competition next weekend.” Gray said the plan is to increase the strength of the coalition over the next year and be involved with the ONE Campus Challenge next spring. According to Warner, organizations that have already joined the ONE coalition include the Auburn Sustainability Action Program, the Committee of 19, IMPACT, the Mocha Club, Engineers Without Borders, the Pharmacy Club and the Red Cross Club. Universities are particularly good settings for humanitarian projects such as ONE, said Azeem Ahmed, junior in business. “There’s just so much potential in universities, particularly in the South, but all over,” Ahmed said. “The stuff that’s going on at Auburn or at Alabama is amazing, and if we could find a way to take all that stuff at colleges, that information, and apply it directly » See ONE, B2
Campus B2
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Precision agriculture helps Ala. farmers cut costs Crystal Cole SPORTS EDITOR
Not all crops are created equal, and precision agriculture technology allows farmers to treat them according to their specific needs, saving money in the process. Precision ag is an evolving approach to farming which incorporates soil sampling, GPS, sensor technology and guidance systems to gauge how certain conditions affect crop growth in a field. Auburn biosystems engineering associate professor and precision ag specialist John Fulton said the technology helps farmers be more site-specific in the field. “Not only do we try to
MRI
» From B1 “Scanner time costs $500 per hour, and we have scanner time grant program for researchers who are collecting preliminary data for grant applications,” Denney said.
understand variability, but then we use new technologies to then apply products on a site-specific basis,” Fulton said. The sensor technology obtains information about an object without directly contacting it. In agriculture, information about crops and soil is gathered from plane-based, satellite-based or equipment-based sensing devices. This information gives farmers a better sense of the potential productivity or limitations of their crops, allowing them to make better decisions and maximize crop yields, Fulton said. Fulton said the technology has allowed for less
overlap in applying fertilizer and pesticides, saving approximately $10 million in 2009. Amy Winstead, regional extension agent, said the technology allows farmers to apply products at different rates instead of a blanket coating, which is also more environmentally sustainable. “The sector control technology turns the systems on and off, decreasing the amount of input from farmers,” Winstead said. “For example, if they’ve already sprayed in a particular section of the field, then if they come back across that area the system will shut off so it’s not overapplying.” Winstead said precision
“Faculty at Auburn can propose research projects that only a few groups around the world can perform, and this gives them a competitive advantage. The scanner is available to all AU faculty and staff and researchers from other institutions as well.” With the technology,
researchers are able to examine the brain functions to see how the brain reacts when affected by certain diseases. “It is cutting-edge technology,” Kam said. “In this part of the United States, we have zero experience with machines of this strength and this type of technology.
“
ag also uses GPS to guide tractors and auto-steer, which also provides farmers the ability to work at night. “Basically a farmer can
make a row in the field and then from that point on when they turn around the system will guide them up from where they are supposed to be,” Winstead said. “That keeps ( farmers) from wasting time and saves them money because they aren’t overlapping any input.” Fulton said approximately 60 percent of row farmers across the state have adopted some level of precision ag technology and the number nationally is probably in the 50 percent range. The technology has reduced the amount of pesticides and nutrients applied by an average of 10 percent. Fulton said a reduction was also seen in trips across the
field, which lowers the risk of erosion and chemical runoff into surface water. “I think by being more efficient and reducing overlap, I think the big thing we’re seeing is the ability to be better stewards of the land,” Fulton said. “We only apply what we need, and I think that’s sometimes hard to put a tangible benefit on.” Fulton said the estimated savings were calculated by Auburn scientists and were based on the number of farmers they consult, the number of farmers enrolled in National Resources Conservation Service precision ag programs and the average savings for various technologies, which was determined through research.
The 7T gives us an idea of functionality, not just an image—the machine looks at brain function and not just structure or anatomy.” The 7T allows researchers to take a closer look at certain aspects of the human brain. “This interdisciplinary field involves not only
science and medicine, but also a lot of engineering, Auburn can leverage its strengths in engineering and open up new areas of research in science and human and veterinary medicine,” Deshpande said. The 7T scanner provides research opportunities for fields beyond those in the
medical world. “Psychology, physiology, chemistry, engineering and medical fields will benefit from the access of the machine and the information that comes out of it,” Kam said. “For Auburn, it is a great opportunity to expand on research to put itself on the global map.”
ONE
Ahmed said. “It may take you a while to find it. Volunteer work in the community and see what really interests you and go from there. I mean, every field needs help in some sort or another, whether it’s business, medicine, or sustainability. Every field at Auburn University can be applied to solving world issues or even
local issues.” Top 10 universities in the challenge are the University of Florida, University of Michigan, Ohio State University, Clark University, University of Pittsburgh, Seton Hall University, University of South Carolina, Union University, Webster University and University of West Georgia.
I think the big thing we’re seeing is the ability to be better stewards of the land. We only apply what we need.” —John fulton ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING
» From B1 to the field, it would be amazing the stuff we could accomplish.” Ahmed said anyone interested can be involved. “My real thing would be, find your passion, find what you’re really interested in,”
AU View
REBEKAH WEAVER / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Emerson Ray Hornsby and Grace Agerton enjoy the warm weather picking flowers at the park while their brothers receive baseball lessons from their fathers.
CALENDAR: THURSDAY, FEB. 24 – SATURDAY, MARCH 5 SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
SATURDAY
FRIDAY 25
24
Tim Dorsey book signing
■ AU
■ Stu-
Bookstore ■ 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
27
28
1
Lecture: Faida Mitifu
“1001 Words” lecture ■ Student series
Center Room 22222223 ■ 3:30 p.m.
■ Biggin
Hall Auditorium ■ 5 p.m.
2
Movie screening: “Temple Grandin”
■ COSAM Auditorium ■ 6 p.m.
dent Center Ballroom ■ Noon to 6 p.m. 3
4
Film series: “Inherit the Wind”
TigerStomp step show
Collins Smith Museum of Art ■ 6 p.m.
Activities Center ■ 7 p.m.
■ Jule
26
“Zap Out Hunger” laser tag tournament
■ Student
5
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Campus B3
The Auburn Plainsman
History of Costume traces evolution of trends Elizabeth Fite STAFF WRITER
Students in the class History of Costume see history from a different viewpoint—through clothing. Pamela Ulrich, professor of the History of Costume class, has been teaching the subject since the 1980s. Ulrich said the term “costume” applies to everything people wear or carry with their bodies, as well as what people do to alter their appearance. “It’s hair, it’s hats, it’s makeup, it’s plucking hair, plucking eyebrows—it’s everything that we put on our body and do to our body to manipulate our appearance,” Ulrich said. “So that includes using costume for theatre, but it’s actually what we do—alternative words for the class would be history of clothing, but that technically means the garments, whereas costume is taken to mean everything.” Topics in the class include how costume portrays status, the styling of clothing, what costume symbolizes, the complexity of clothing and the differences in men’s and women’s fashion.
The class material could prove helpful for those wishing to pursue a career in apparel merchandising, said Erin Rogers, junior in apparel merchandising. “I think it definitely helps you learn why some of the things that we wear today are there because some of the fashions started thousands of years ago, and you don’t even realize it,” Rogers said. She said the class began by covering costume in Mesopotamia and Egypt and then went on to cover the Greeks and Romans. Currently, the class is studying 15th-century fashion and will move into Shakespeare’s 16th-century costume before the next test. “In the 14th and 15th centuries, there’s a lot more terms and definitions and more intricate stuff to the garments that you wouldn’t notice if you just picked up a history book and were looking at people wearing those outfits,” Rogers said. The changes in costume that the class is now studying demonstrate an evolution in clothing from pure function to something that
EMILY ADAMS / PHOTO EDITOR
Pamela Ulrich lectures on 18th-century dress during a History of Costume class in Spidle Hall Monday morning. The class focuses on how costume has changed over time, starting in 1910. is more interesting and defines identity, Ulrich said. “The closer we get to the present, the more important fashion change is in driving what people wear or what they choose not to wear,” Ulrich said. Ulrich said references for the historical clothing come primarily from pictures or
pieces in museums, but the earlier in history the clothing originates, the more she has to rely on illustrations or literature for evidence. Stephanie Hutchings, junior in apparel merchandising, said the class is challenging because the tests are essay format and require students to compare
and contrast a large amount of historical content. “It’s basically a world history class about what people wear,” Hutchings said. Ulrich said the students seem to enjoy the class because it is a whole new way of looking at history. The class is required for majors in apparel
merchandising, design and production management. Starting this summer, the class will be available to nonmajors. Ulrich said students in the major range from people who want to work in design, management, retail, advertising, marketing and global sourcing.
Marching Band’s Tiger Eyes prepares for auditions Gabrielle Hoyt WRITER
As part of the Auburn University Marching Band, the auxiliary group Tiger Eyes includes majorettes, a dance line and a flag line, and they are looking for new members. Tiger Eyes will be hosting a clinic Feb. 26 that will teach prospective members the audition process and an
overview of basic steps and traveling techniques done for the actual auditions. Students enrolled in the fall are encouraged to audition. Previous experience is recommended. “I encourage anyone who is interested in being a part of the Tiger Eyes to come to the audition clinic because it is a great chance to meet the girls you will be
auditioning with,” said majorette Sara Beasley. Dance line member Molly Montgomery agreed the clinic is advantageous to anyone wishing to audition. “The clinic is a good opportunity to get to meet the staff and instructors and get a good idea of what to expect at the actual audition in April,” Montgomery said.
The majorette clinic will be 8 to 10:30 a.m., dance line clinic will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and flag line clinic will be 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Tiger Eyes members dance at halftime for all home football games and travel to two or three away games each season. Throughout the year, they learn up to six routines. “But with all the play
comes the work,” said dance line member Ashley Summers. “As Tiger Eyes, we have a two-hour sectional practice on Monday, and Tuesday through Friday, we practice roughly an hour and a half with the marching band. Also, with time crunches, we call extra sectional practices for our individual lines.” Tiger Eyes is a special
experience for all of those involved. “I have found the meaning of what it is to be involved in something that is bigger than myself,” Summers said. “With the AUMB, don’t expect individual glory; we are one unit, and we perform together. Any praise that we receive, we receive it as a group.”
Campus B4
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Small animal hospital on campus faces big change Molly Montgomery WRITER
Puppy prescriptions and kitty care will soon be available to the Auburn community at a new facility on campus. The College of Veterinary Medicine has begun construction on a two-phase project that will bring a small animal teaching hospital to Auburn. Currently, the small animal hospital is located at Hoerlein Hall on Wire Road. “The basic part of the hospital was built in 1970,” said Donna Angarano, associate dean of academic affairs for the college. “We’re crowded in there, and new technology has changed a lot of things.” The small animal hospital provides care for dogs, cats, birds, rodents and other household pets. Plans for the new hospital include surgical suites, pharmacy and rehabilitation centers, as well as a high-tech imaging department. The entire project will cost $74 million and funding will come from bonds as well as private gifts. “A big portion of it is coming from alumni and friends who want to support this hospital,” said Bill Brawner, professor of radiology and building committee chair. “Our development group is working on that now.” Timothy Boosinger, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said the new hospital will be a state-ofthe-art building where students and members of the community will be able to bring their pets for treatment. “We hope to dedicate the facility and be in it with full operation in 2014,”
Boosinger said. The first phase of the project includes a new educational wing equipped with classrooms, conference rooms and auditoriums. “We’re actually out there right now; phase one is under construction,” Boosinger said. “That’s taking place right in front of Greene Hall.” The new hospital will be on the veterinary school grounds, and the old small animal hospital will be converted into office and laboratory space. “It will be between the Overton auditorium and the new large animal hospital,” Brawner said. Construction of the hospital building is scheduled to begin February 2012 after the completion of the educational wing. The motivation behind the new building comes from a planned increase of veterinary school students. “We are going to increase our class size,” Angarano said. “Beginning this fall, we’ll be going from 95 students to 120 students.” Angarano said it is important to encourage growth within the vet school. “There is a prediction for a shortage of veterinarians in the future,” Angarano said. “So, there is a need to increase more opportunities for students to go to vet school.” There are currently 28 veterinary schools in the country. “One of our priorities is to be leaders in veterinary medical education in the United States, if not the world,” Boosinger said. “To do that, we need to have modern facilities in order
REBEKAH WEAVER / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
The College of Veterinary Medicine is constructing a new, small animal hospital building on the veterinary school grounds. to attract the best faculty and to support really outstanding programs.” As a teaching hospital, the facility will accept patients like a regular veterinary hospital does. Operation, equipment and supplies are not funded by the state, so the hospital relies on client fees for support. Students and community members can expect prices to be comparable to a private practice. “It’s a large hospital where veterinarian students learn,” Brawner said. “But it is a working hospital in that we see patients referred from practicing veterinarians all over the state of Alabama and really from all over the Southeast.”
AUBURN UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES
The groundbreaking ceremony celebrated the beginning of construction on the new animal hospital for the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Fraternities and sororities plan big stomp on Plains Kala Bolton WRITER
After a week consumed with discussions about the importance of tradition on college campuses, there’s still one celebrated practice that many overlook: stepping. Stepping has long since been a tradition within historically African-American fraternities and sororities, and this style of dance will be on display as the Black Student Union hosts its annual TigerStomp March 4. The show starts at 7 p.m. in the Student Activities Center, and tickets for students are $5 in advance. While a number of sororities and fraternities from Auburn will be competing, TigerStomp welcomes chapters from other schools. “This competition is open to any fraternity and sorority that pays the $50 entrance fee,” said Shawntell Pace, senior in radio, television and film and BSU president. “We are encouraging everyone to get involved. This step show is a huge deal in Alabama, and people drive from everywhere to see these organizations perform.” Each performance must follow certain guidelines and adhere to a time limit. “We ask that they keep their performance limited to 12 minutes,” Pace said. “This includes the setup, performance and exit. They cannot have any obscene gestures, profanity or anything along those lines.” Months of preparation go into making the performances memorable. “All of the sororities and fraternities begin preparing
for the show as early as September,” said Heather Horn, first-year graduate student and graduate adviser for National Pan-Hellenic Council. Horn is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, which won last year’s TigerStomp. “A lot goes into performing in a step show,” Horn said. “A theme must be picked, training must begin including working out daily and money must be raised for costumes and props.” A panel of judges will score sororities and fraternities separately, and the winner of each will receive a $2,000 grand prize and a trophy. The runner-up will receive $1,000 and a trophy. DJ Big Sweatt will provide music throughout the show and comedian Steve Brown will serve as the special celebrity guest host. A member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity, Brown is no rookie when it comes to hosting these shows. “Steve Brown has hosted the step show before, and last year he said that if Auburn won the Iron Bowl he could come back and salute to the fight song,” Pace said. “If we lost, we would have to salute to the Bama song. Luckily, we won, so we get to see him pay homage to Auburn this year.” Horn said while carrying on the tradition of stepping is important, it is not the only unique aspect of NPHC organizations. “This unique form of dancing is carried on as a tradition that expresses our African history, but it is not the makeup of our organization,” Horn said. “This serves as one part that
makes us unique.” Leading up to TigerStomp, fraternities and sororities will also host NPHC Week. “NPHC Week starts Feb. 26 and ends March 4, the day of TigerStomp, with our NPHC Chaos Party,” Horn said. “The week will be filled with forums, cookouts, community service and much more.” While the show is a celebration of a tradition unique to NPHC fraternities and sororities, members said everyone is welcome. “For someone who has never been to a step show, come ready to be amazed,” Horn said. “These teams have worked hard. Not only will you see dancing and stepping, but you will see a well thought-out performance.” Cindy Orsenigo, junior in communication disorders, said she was hooked after attending her first step show. “I went to TigerStomp last year, and it was the first time I had ever seen a step show,” Orsenigo said. “It was different, but really cool. There’s the stepping, but they all also have story lines to their performances which makes it really entertaining.” Pace said the night is bound to be full of surprises. The judges as well as fraternities and sororities competing have yet to be announced, but Pace said the audience is in for a treat. “Just know it is going to be worth suspense,” Pace said. “It’s an experience like no other. Once you go to one, you will be hooked.”
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Campus B5
The Auburn Plainsman
Grammar schools come to college Education Interview Day gives education students opportunity to network with schools Liz Conn ASSOCIATE CAMPUS EDITOR
Education majors won’t have to travel far for job interviews Feb. 28. Education Interview Day will be held at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thirty-three organizations from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and
Tennessee will attend the event. Organizations include independent schools as well as multi-school systems. “It’s a good way to get your name and your face out there, even if you don’t get a job or you don’t get any offers on the spot,” said Dori Dobbs, junior in English education and president of the College of Education. “It’s just a good interview experience to get an idea for future interviews and how they’re going to go. It’s a great way to network even if nothing comes of it.” From 9 to 10 a.m., students browse exhibits from each organization in a career fair format. Students may be given the chance to schedule an interview for later in the day, said Elisabeth Johnson, on-campus recruiting and special
events assistant. “They may meet with six or seven schools that day, or maybe they’ll just meet with one or two depending on first impressions and what the representatives think of them,” Johnson said. Interviews will last from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. “In a usual setting, you’d be lucky to get one interview each day,” Johnson said. “Here, they’re all coming to you. That’s the biggest benefit I see.” Students are encouraged to wear business professional attire, said Christen Holmes, senior in English education. “These principals that come in—they are, of course, always looking for someone that catches their eye and would be great in that position,” Holmes said. “It’s just a great preparation.
I feel like a lot of other majors don’t get anything similar to that, and it’s a huge help.” Holmes will also bring her resume, cover letter and four letters of recommendation. “I want to take this as if it’s a real interview,” Holmes said. “This is like a dress rehearsal.” Dobbs said attendees are usually juniors or seniors. “It’s a great way for students that are looking for jobs right out of college to be able to network with people from these schools that want to talk to them,” Dobbs said. Education interviews differ from other kinds of interviews, Holmes said. “In the interviews I’ve had at Auburn, they ask you a lot about yourself, about your past, previous things
you’ve done,” Holmes said. “Education interviews are more based around what you would do in a classroom. T h e y want to see how you would handle a classroom and classroom management, classroom discipline, innovative ways to use technology in a classroom.” Dobbs said although some job markets are suffering, she sees education as constant. “One of the main reasons I chose education was because there’s always a demand for teachers,” Dobbs said. “It’s the one thing you can’t really cut back on. I
think the job market is probably not at its best just because the economy is terrible right now, but as far as I know they can’t really cut teachers all that much, which is what’s wonderful about education.”
Congo ambassador speaks on African issues Annie Faulk STAFF WRITER
She goes by Her Excellency. Faida Mitifu, ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. will give a free lecture Feb. 28 at 3:30 p.m. in the Student Center 2222– 2223. After the lecture, refreshments will be served during a question-and-answer session with Mitifu. Mitifu’s journey to becoming ambassador started at Auburn, where she earned a master’s degree in French studies. Afterward, she went on to complete her Ph.D. in romance languages at the University of Georgia. Before she became ambassador in 1999, Mitifu worked as an assistant professor at both the University of Georgia and Columbus State University. “The president of the Congo was looking for ambassadors, and the name Faida was casually mentioned,” said Samia Spencer,
French professor and organizer of the lecture. “He interviewed Faida for the position of ambassador in the United States—that’s the highest ambassadorship that any country has.” Mitifu is one of the longest serving ambassadors in Washington, D.C. During her 11-year ambassadorship, she has been a vital promoter of the United States–Democratic Republic of the Congo relationship. “There are not that many ambassadors (who) served that length of time,” Spencer said. Mitifu has worked to enhance women’s involvement in political and economic issues. She also launched the first African Growth and Opportunity Act to encourage Congolese to export and import with the United States. She has worked with the World Food Bank, coordinated visits to the United States for the Congo
president, promoted peace in the Congo and advocated African trade with other countries. “This is where I have respect for the president because he did not get any financial benefit by naming her—she was not going to contribute anything to his campaign—but he saw in her potential to be a distinguished person who has the confidence, the knowledge, the personality,” Spencer said. Mitifu has worked with several organizations and presented lectures on topics including children soldiers, sexual violence, partnerships with foreign countries and women’s issues. The lecture, titled “The United States and Africa: Current Opportunities and Concerns,” will cover topics ranging from issues in Africa to women’s equality. Students are encouraged to attend the lecture in order to engage in learning African issues. Mitifu has given lectures
CONTRIBUTED
Her Excellency Faida Mitifu, ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will speak at Auburn Feb. 28 in the Student Center 2222–2223. at several universities in the U.S., and Europe, covering African political issues, women’s roles, children rights and African relationships with foreign powers.
“I am sure she will answer questions about political issues and economic issues and women’s issues,” Spencer said. “There are all kinds of political unrests in
the African continent these days.” The last time Mitifu was in Auburn for an official visit was in 2002 for an international conference.
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Campus B6
The Auburn Plainsman
On the Concourse
Thursday, February 24, 2011 Question:
Do you think Auburn should be a smoke-free campus?
“I do believe it should
“No. That’s someone’s
“Yes. Personally, I have asthma, and it’s not good for you.”
—Joseph Benak, sophomore, biomedical sciences
—Michael Bracht, sophomore, radio, television and film
—Madje Kpomblekou, senior, industrial engineering
“No. Everybody should have their own designated spots.”
“Yes. I just think the smoke
bothers people sometimes.”
“It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t affect me that much.”
—Ashlee Williams, senior, industrial engineering
—Jennifer Allen, freshman, biomedical sciences
—Kyle Hagenau, junior, business
be smoke-free. I’m completely against smoking.”
right if they want to smoke a cigarette.”
SHANNON HENNESY, 18 Building a ladder to our hearts, this week’s Loveliest is about to make a career leap. A sophomore in economics, she has chosen to ditch the stocks and dividends for sketchbooks and blueprints. She’ll be majoring in architecture beginning this summer. In her spare time, Shannon makes music and entertains. She enjoys piano and singing, and has even graced the stage of the AU Theatre. Performing is great, but you don’t have to put on a show to win us over, Shannon. Think you know an Auburn woman who has what it takes to be the Loveliest Lady on the Plains? Send submissions, with names and contact information, to campus@theplainsman.com
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Intrigue Thursday, February 24, 2011
Men’s fashion
Aspiring songwriter
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www.theplainsman.com
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MARIA IAMPIETRO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
Jordan Yarbrough, Daniel Ballew, Joe Knight and Kyle Wherry plan to brew their next batch of beer, an oak-aged bourbon coffee stout, in an Airstream trailer behind Ballew’s home.
A home-style brew
Friends create unique beer brew in the comfort of their own backyard Rachel Shirey WRITER
A few Auburn University students brew more than friendship in their homes. They also brew beer. Friends Daniel Ballew, senior in microbiology; Scott Gentry, senior in mechanical engineering; Jordan Yarbrough, senior in exercise science and a few other friends started brewing beer in their kitchens several months ago after experimenting with a kit. They have even named their beer. “We joke around about having a brewery, calling it the Double Wide Brewing Company because the idea to brew kind of started when we were hanging out in my trailer just talking about it,” Gentry said. The idea fermented among the friends and has developed into a cherished hobby they plan to continue in the future. Ballew said he started brewing because he enjoys beer and the art form of beer. He said he believes beer is more than just a drink. “You can do lots of different stuff with it,” Ballew said. “You can add different ingredients and get a different taste from those ingredients just depending on how long you boil them for and how long you cook them for. It’s just a pretty cool process and a creative process.” Brewing beer can be a two-week process or take as long as a six months depending on the type of beer. However, the process isn’t too demanding. Yarbrough said the brewing process consists of multiple steps. First, they start by boiling all the
ingredients together in a large pot on the stove. “The boil is basically just like seeping grains and hops as if it were kind of like a tea bag,” Gentry said. After the beer is properly cooked together, it is added to a pot of yeast and the mixture ferments for several weeks. The beer is then moved onto the secondary fermentation stage and the beer begins to clear up. The beer is finally bottled and stored for further fermentation before consumption. “Once you bottle, it’s basically a waiting game until you can drink it because it has to get that carbonation,” Yarbrough said. Ballew said it’s an easily managable hobby. “It’s an involved process at times, but you’re not constantly working at it,” Ballew said. Ballew and Yarbrough plan on brewing an oak-aged bourbon coffee stout next, which takes about six months to brew. Gentry said his favorite home-brewed beer so far is the double IPA, which is a light amber Indian pale ale. There are also a wide range of beers the friends can make depending on the hops, malts and extracts they choose to boil together. Yarbrough said they try to be imaginative and add various ingredients that are not in the original recipe. “The possibilities are endless. You can brew anything, really,” Yarbrough said. However, you have to follow the recipe exactly or risk disaster. Ballew compared
MARIA IAMPIETRO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
Wherry, Yarbrough, Ballew and Knight sit in a Airstream trailer behind Ballew’s home. the beer brewing process to working in a lab. “You have to be very precise, and you have to be very clean because sanitation is really important,” Ballew said. “If you get an infection right before you bottle, you can have something called a bottle bomb. That’s when the caps will shoot off the bottle and beer will go everywhere because of a bacterial infection inside the beer.” Despite the need to be meticulous, the
friends enjoy the brewing process and think it is very rewarding. Gentry said being able to sit back and enjoy the beer after it is completely done is relaxing because of the sense of accomplishment, but that’s not why he still brews. “It fosters friendship, and I’ve developed a lot more friendships from doing it,” Gentry said. “The biggest reason I would say we continued it, or that I personally have continued it, is just for the friendships.”
Unexpected candidates donate hair for good cause Jordan Dale WRITER
While there are many forms of philanthropy, for Aashana Vishnani, Darius “Slim” Merchant and Marissa Langford, their donations can take years to grow. Locks of Love is a nonprofit organization that accepts donations of hair to create hairpieces for children who suffer from medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Vishnani, junior in public relations, recently donated her hair to Locks of Love. She said she grew it out for two years to make it long enough to donate. The hair is put in a ponytail and cut at the base. The full ponytail is then dried and put into a plastic bag and shipped to Locks of Love
STEPS TO DONATE
in West Palm Beach, Fla. The hair must be at least 10 inches in length from tip to tip; anything shorter cannot be used for a hairpiece. “I’ve been growing my hair for eight years,” said Merchant, a WEGL 91 radio personality who intends to donate his hair. “When I cut it, I want it to be for a good reason.” Merchant’s hair is rare among donations. “Not many African-Americans donate because the hair doesn’t meet the requirements,” Merchant said. “I just want to help out the kids.” Hair that has oil or other products in it generally cannot be accepted. Hair that has been bleached or highlighted is
prohibited because of a chemical reaction used in manufacturing. Donations must be exceptionally dry as well. “Imagine what condition damp hair is like after a week in a plastic bag,” said Locks of Love volunteer Diane Black. Black said while many people’s hearts are in the right place, the requirements are there for a reason.
“Honestly, Locks of Love throws out about 80 percent of its donations because they can’t use them,” Black said. The leading culprits are damp or colored hair, which is immediately recognized and thrown out. “I waited a little over a year to finish getting the color out of my hair before donating,” said Langford, senior in history. “We stood there with a hair dryer making sure it was completely dry. I didn’t want to waste it.” With such a drastic change in appearance, Langford initially questioned what people would think of her new look. “It was kind of scary that first day without my long hair,” Langford said. “But I knew it was a great cause. Everything grows back.”
Vishnani also said she missed her long hair, but was more than pleased with the results and the good feeling it engendered. Merchant was less concerned with his appearance. “I don’t care what people think,” he said. “It feels great to me to help out.” Black said Locks of Love faces a few dilemmas. “They’ve been overwhelmed with donations,” she said. “They sell a lot of the donations to help manage their overhead costs, which are increased because of all the donations they have to process.” According to the Locks of Love website, the only hair that can be sold is short, gray or otherwise unusable hair.
1. GROW HAIR AT LEAST 10 INCHES 2. FIND PARTICIPATING LOCKS OF LOVE SALON OR ASK TO HAVE CUT HAIR PUT IN A SCENT-FREE BAG 3. DOWNLOAD DONATION FORM FROM INTERNET 4. SEND TO 234 SOUTHERN BLVD. WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33405
Intrigue C2
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Bacteria hides in unexpected places Jenna Moran ASSOCIATE COPY EDITOR
Most people have been taught to wash their hands throughout the day and cover their mouths when they cough. But few are truly aware of how much bacteria can be growing on their hands just from doing everyday activities, like talking on the phone and going to a restaurant. Matt Kearley, nonmajors general biology coordinator, said there are several commonly-used items people would never predict to be hosts to bacteria. Surprisingly, a large amount of bacteria can be found on cell phones. People have become so attached to their phones that they have become a part of everyday life. “They handle their cell phones while they eat and do everything else,” Kearley said. Kearley explained people’s hands collect bacteria from surfaces they touch throughout the day, and the bacteria grows on the cell phone screens and buttons when people call or text. Another less commonly known bacteria-infested item is the kitchen sink. Despite how spotless some may keep their kitchens, most people do not realize the amount of bacteria growing in their own kitchen sinks. “A lot of times sinks...are going to have more bacteria than a toilet seat,” Kearley said. Stuart Price, associate professor of pathobiology, advised cleaning kitchen sinks with hot water after each use to disinfect the area. “If raw chicken juice gets in the sink and you don’t actually disinfect (the sink), it can stay there for days and it can become contagious,” Price said.
Kitchen sinks with garbage disposals are especially unsanitary since the food coming off the plate and going into the disposal can cause bacteria to grow, Kearley said. But the sink isn’t the only part of the kitchen where bacteria can hide and multiply. “We probably have more foodborne outbreaks from people handling food in their own kitchen than we do in actual restaurants,” Price said. Price named the biggest concerns in food safety for restaurants and home preparation of foods: vegetables, fruits and uncooked meats. They can all have contamination, which increases the chances of acquiring a foodborne illness. “I’ve seen people that will prepare a chicken and use a cutting board, and then without washing the cutting board they begin cutting up tomatoes. What you’re doing is getting the raw chicken juice on the tomato, and you can definitely get sick from this,” Price said. Disinfecting fruits is a concern not only in the kitchen, but also in every restaurant. If a lemon is not cleaned thoroughly, customers could be drinking iced water that is swimming with bacteria. “Coming right out of the citrus field, fruit will be very dirty on the outside,” Price said. “And so unless the restaurant has properly cleaned the outside of that, it could also contaminate.” How often a restaurant receives a fresh supply of fruit and vegetables usually depends on the restaurant menu. Also, the food goes through a long process before it reaches the restaurants or grocery stores. “There’s several tiers that you go through to get the food from the pasture or
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
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A lot of times sinks...are going to have more bacteria than a toilet seat.” —Matt Kearley NONMAJORS GENERAL BIOLOGY COORDINATOR
field to the person,” Price said. “Each particular tier has special guidelines in place to maintain that the food is not contaminated.” Items that people are consistently touching throughout the day, including gas pumps and menus, are also going to host a large amount of bacteria, Kearley said. “Usually people go and wash their hands, and then they come back and pick up the menu immediately,” Kearley said. “And that menu that’s been sitting out all day that everyone has been using can have a lot of bacteria on it.” Luckily, there are ways to stay healthy and sanitary, even when surrounded by such bacteria-laden items. “Simple things, like pick up the menu and look at it before you go wash your hands and eat,” Kearley said. “Also, don’t hold your cell phone while you’re eating at the same time.” Price recommended setting up a wash station at home while cooking and washing fruits and vegetables after they are purchased from the grocery store. Many times, dirt is visibly apparent on grocery store produce, and the dirt can contain pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses. “Just be more conscious of what you’re doing and trying to keep your hands clean,” Kearley said.
63. Mideast nation 64. Aromatic Himalayna plant 65. Campers, for short 66. __ off (miffed)
ACROSS 1. 5. 8. 12. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 21. 23. 24. 25. 26. 30. 32. 33. 36. 37. 38. 40. 42. 43. 44. 45. 48. 49. 50. 52. 57. 58. 60. 61. 62.
Touchdown Bracket type Cartoon chipmunk Mexican pots Chocolate cookie Alpine goat Exhausted Agrees silently Fill to the gills Currently Ploy Veto Ave. crossers Naval off. Sagittarius Phony handle Stall Using a vise Lecturer’s spot Sparkled Very, informally Turning around Twilled fabric In excess of Bamboo eaters Riled up Prior to yr. 1 Suffers from Hooded pullover Contraptions M or L Musical symbol Dumbfounded Eclipse, to an ancient Dogpatch verb
DOWN 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 13. 14. 20. 22. 24. 26.
PRESIDENTS’ SCRAMBLER Clue 1:
AERNAG
Clue 4:
SNMDAOI
Clue 2:
NCLILNO
Clue 5:
NDNKYEE
Clue 3:
SKNCAOJ
Bonus: Use circles to solve
SUDOKU
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Academic’s robe No-cholesteral spread __ __ unto itself Angelina Jolie role Winged god Pioneered Got behind (2 wds.) Kind of brake Slacken off Open the door (2 wds.) Board mems Australian city Black gemstone Oxygen source PDQ Breezy talk Append
Horses do it Muse of history “__ la vista, baby!” Single-handed Femme fatale Spud garnish Computer whiz Bowled over Kind of race (hyph.) “__ Miserables” “Fernando” band Walk nonchalantly Felt boot Brick worker True inner self Earthmover, for short Axe handle Split in tow For the guys __ __ the picture! Title “En garde” weapon Dispatch Ms. Ullmann
Answers to last issue’s crossword
334-821-4844 or 334-319-0830 327 N. Ross Street Auburn, Al Conveniently located to campus and down town 1 Bd/1 Ba or 2 Bd/ 2 Ba
27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 33. 34. 35. 37. 39. 41. 42. 44. 45. 46. 47. 49. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 59.
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Thursday, February 24, 2011
Intrigue C3
The Auburn Plainsman
Quad resident brings Africa to Auburn Ellen Weathers WRITER
You won’t find Chichewa classes at Auburn, but you may bump into Daniel Brownfield, a speaker of one of Malawi’s most prevalent languages. The son of two Auburn alumni, Brownfield, freshman in exercise science, grew up with three siblings in the southeastern African nation of Malawi alongside the Lomwe people. “It’s the culture I grew up in, the people I almost feel most comfortable around, maybe even more than Americans,” Brownfield said. Since 1999, Brownfield’s parents have worked four to five year terms with the Independent Missions Board teaching English and Christianity. Between terms, the family
would return to Auburn for periods of six to 11 months. The family has focused on the Lomwe, a group of about 4 million people living in Malawi and Mozambique. Brownfield grew up speaking English and picked up the Lomwe’s language, Chichewa. “I sat in the village and listened to them until their words made sense,” Brownfield said. Brownfield moved to Auburn from Malawi last summer, and although he has settled into a new routine, he said some adjustments have been difficult. “I’ll find myself grabbing my arm when I shake hands with people,” Brownfield said. “It’s part of most Bantu cultures that came of a tradition to show friendship, that I’m not threatening.” While arm-grabbing
MARIA IAMPIETRO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
Daniel Brownfield relaxes on a bench outside of Harper Hall. may seem odd to Americans, Brownfield said short shorts seem odd to him because he is used to a more formal culture.
Brownfield said it just takes small adjustments. “You can learn to be socially adept in a different culture perfectly fine,” he
said. “As long as you’re respectful around people, it doesn’t matter.” Although Brownfield said some assume he could be socially inept because he was home-schooled and raised in Malawi, his childhood had many similarities with a typical American upbringing. After morning classes, Brownfield would spend the afternoon with kids from the village and give them Kool-Aid sent in care packages from mission sponsors in the U.S. “We’d play soccer for three or four hours in the afternoon,” Brownfield said. Before high school course work became too demanding, Brownfield would take short trips with his father to meet new people by teaching and spreading the message of Jesus.
“We’d park the car under the supervision of a local chief or at a school,” Brownfield said. “Then we’d take our jungle hammocks, go out to where the road stops and keep hiking.” Brownfield sometimes browses through pictures and news of Malawi and Mozambique, though he said it makes him nostalgic. Brownfield also said he sometimes stops, looks around campus and is happy to be a part of life here. “It’s an equilibrium,” Brownfield said. Although he said he misses being surrounded by macadamia farms and coffee estates, there are a few things he has gladly welcomed into his daily life. “These are my top three: root beer, electricity and hot water,” Brownfield said. “In that order.”
Making the transition from home schooling to college Kate Jones WRITER
Coming to Auburn as a freshman, Julia Tucker feared the crowds at a major university; Aaron Pierce was most nervous about retaining the quality of friends he had in high school; and Ian Maples was nervous about meeting people. Tucker, Pierce and Maples do not know each other, but they have a bond because all three were home-schooled for most of their education prior to coming to Auburn. “Home schooling is individualized to different people,” said Tucker, sophomore in piano performance and economics, who graduated high school at 14 and began attending Auburn at 15. Tucker said she hadn’t
planned to graduate early. “It was sort of a, ‘If you finished this math book, move on to the next one,’” Tucker said. “It wasn’t a, ‘Are you supposed to be doing this now?’” Tucker said her parents decided to home-school her because she read at a high level, and home schooling gave her an opportunity to focus on music. “Being in school from 8 to 3 in the afternoon, it didn’t give a whole lot of time for other activities,” Tucker said. Aaron Pierce, senior in industrial design, said his home schooling experience required a lot of self-motivation to get work done. “(We) make our assignments much like you would do for a co-op program, a class that you go to one day
a week, and the rest of the week you work on the work the teacher assigns to you,” Pierce said. His mom and dad and sometimes parents of other home-schooled students that had specialties in areas like world literature were his teachers. “It worked out really well because there was kinda like a community of people that were like, ‘Hey, we are going to home-school our kids,’” Pierce said. Pierce said they had papers and assignments like students would in other classes. Ian Maples, freshman in pre-architecture, was home-schooled on a strict schedule by his mother beginning in sixth grade. Maples said his mom woke him and his brothers
up every morning at 6:30, and they had to start by 8 a.m. They worked the entire day with only a 15-minute break midmorning and a 30-minute lunch break. “Not that we did that though; we tried to slack off as much as possible,” Maples said. “She didn’t really let that happen.” Preparing for college, Tucker, Pierce and Maples said their experiences were much like other students. They completed their curricula and took a standardized test to be accepted into Auburn. Each said the first day of school went well overall. Tucker said it was definitely a different experience, though. “Just the sitting in class part was actually the strangest part for me,” Tucker said.
Tucker said she didn’t know how long the Tuesday and Thursday classes were going to last and found herself getting antsy. “I called home a lot,” Pierce said. “I called Foy a lot, made friends really easy in my class, set up a study group almost immediately. The first day was really good.” Pierce started classes early, taking classes the summer before he came to Auburn. “I was able to ease into Auburn instead of getting kinda thrown into it, like I feel a lot of other kids are,” Pierce said. Maples said the first day was different than home schooling because it was more organized. “You had to be there at a certain time,” Maples said.
“With home schooling you didn’t have to do math at a certain time. As long as you got a certain amount of schoolwork done during the day, you were good.” Wanting friends is not unique to any freshman. Tucker said misconceptions about home-schoolers come from the various approaches to home schooling. “Some people believe that home-schoolers are very backwoods, very Christian,” Tucker said. “Girls wear long dresses and never cut their hair.” Maples said another misconception is that homeschoolers are more socially awkward. “I guess that would be true for some, but I haven’t had a problem fitting in at Auburn,” Maples said.
Freshman receives money for music Recent winner of UPC’s songwriting contest hopes to make living with music Kelly Nicastro ‘WRITER
Will Boswell can do it all. He sings, writes songs, plays the guitar and piano and recently just took up the Irish penny whistle. One of Boswell’s strategies in becoming a better musician is to never miss an opportunity to perform, and at the University Program Council’s songwriting contest Feb. 8, his first place award proved that. Boswell, freshman in nursing, won for his performance of a song he wrote titled “Every Little Thing.” When it comes to performing, nerves have no place on stage with Boswell. Instead of becoming petrified, he said he just lets the music take control. “I try not to make my performance set in stone,” Boswell said. “I do parts of it on the fly because I feel like it shows the audience more of the music inside of me and shows the soul of the song.” Boswell said he has been singing for as long as he can remember, but publicly for about six years. He began writing raps in middle school, “just throwing together words that rhymed,” and then started writing his own songs once he entered high school, he said. Among the sixteen talented musicians who
entered the UPC songwriting contest, Boswell came away with a $150 check in addition to his first place recognition. The contestants were judged on the quality of lyrics and music, the artistic merit, expression of song, creativity, uniqueness and overall entertainment value,” said Samara Dudley, UPC’s assistant fine arts director and junior in biomedical science/pre-optometry. Boswell’s performance made a lasting impression not only on the judges, but members of the UPC committee as well. “Will’s performance stuck out to me because his voice was really unique,” said Lauren Mackey, junior in health administration and UPC fine arts committee member. “Just by watching him perform, I could tell that he felt what he sang, and I know the audience felt his emotions as well.” Boswell claims a variety of inspirations for his songs, including love and other personal experiences. “Ideas will come randomly, and I save them in my phone, and then when I’m in a writing mood, I’ll go back and elaborate into music,” Boswell said. Boswell said music is constantly running through his mind, whether it is on the Tiger Transit, falling asleep, in the shower or walking to class. As for a future in music, Boswell said he would love to make a living solely off writing and producing his own work. “Whether it’s a Christmas party at a local nursing home or a gig at the Alabama Theatre, I do my best to be at it singing because
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Will Boswell spends some time playing a black grand piano in the Student Center ballroom. you never know who’s out there listening,” Boswell said. Boswell said his ideal future would be living and working in Nashville, singing and writing music with his longtime friend James Thompson. The duo started writing music together in high school and continue to play together and record music. “Sometimes, he will have an idea, and he will record it and send it to me via e-mail, and I’ll add to it and send it back to him and vice versa,” Boswell said. As of now, Boswell said he looks forward to continuing
to produce his own work as well as participating with the men’s chorus chamber choir. He sings second tenor in both choruses. Boswell has been in chorus classes since his sophomore year of high school. He said being in chorus hasn’t helped in his songwriting because he is more influenced by popular music, although he did say it has helped him improve his voice. Boswell said he pays more attention to his vocal production. “I have a higher range,” Boswell said. “It’s going to strengthen your voice if you’re singing every day.”
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Fashion Thursday, February 24, 2011
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Intrigue
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Sports Thursday, February 24, 2011
Coaches Corner
Women’s basketball
» Page D3
» Page D4
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Todd Van Emst / Auburn Media Relations
The Auburn men celebrate winning the SEC Championship Feb. 19, in Gainesville, Fla. The win marked the 15th consecutive conference title for the Tigers.
Tigers take SEC title for 15th straight year Blakeley Sisk Writer
The Auburn men’s swimming and diving team won its 15th consecutive Southeastern Conference title with the women’s team placing third. “It’s hard to comprehend the 15 years, but it feels good to win one each year,” said head coach Brett Hawke. “These guys work hard; these guys have a goal to win the championship, and it is fulfilling when you actually accomplish it.” The men have won 17 out of the last 18 championships. They beat Florida
with the small margin of 19 points. “To get that 15th title down in Florida against a really good Florida team is a really big achievement,” said senior Adam Brown. Brown is one of the fastest swimmers in the country. He won the SEC title in the 100-freestyle for the first time this year. “It is really good to be one of the fastest swimmers in the country,” Brown said. “I mean, I never really imagined being up there with one of the top swimmers in the world—Nathan Adrian, who swims at California.
Hopefully I will be able to beat him come March.” Training and perfecting details is what both teams will be continuing to do before the NCAA championship in March. “We are pretty pumped. I mean, the SECs was just a stepping stone toward the NCAA’s next month,” Brown said. The women are working out details for the NCAAs as well. “We are going to work a lot on details, starts, turns, finishes; especially for sprinters that is the biggest thing to change to go faster,”
said junior Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace. Vanderpool-Wallace was named SEC Female Swimmer of the Year and received the SEC Commissioner’s trophy for earning the most points for Auburn. “It was an awesome feeling to be able to go into that pool, Florida, huge rivals, and just swim as fast as I did,” Vanderpool-Wallace said. “To be able to come back this year and have a great meet was a good feeling.” Va n d e r p o o l -Wa l l a c e broke the NCAA record that stood for eight years with a
time of 46.81 seconds in the 100-free. Hawke said when Vanderpool-Wallace broke the record it was one of the best memories from the weekend. “It was just an outstanding swim and something that kind of took us by surprise,” Hawke said. “But she has been working toward it, and it has been her goal to accomplish it at the NCAA championships, and it just came a little early.” Hawke, Brown and Vanderpool-Wallace said they will be getting more rest before the NCAA meet, and
they will be working to get a few more athletes qualified this weekend in the Bulldog Last Chance meet. The Bulldog Last Chance meet will be held at the University of Georgia as a way to get qualified for the NCAA championship at the last minute. Auburn will have approximately 20 swimmers attending the meet, and Hawke said there will be a few more swimmers who qualify for the NCAA championship. “It is a tough environment, but we will definitely get a couple qualified,” Hawke said.
Back into the swing of things The women’s tennis team hopes to build on a successful home weekend Kelly Nicastro Writer
Rebekah Weaver / Assistant Photo Editor
An Auburn player lines up for a hit against UAB. This weekend’s tournament had one of the highest attendance rates.
Auburn gears up for Highlanders Nick Van Der Linden Associate Sports Editor
The Auburn Tigers improved to 3–1 after a 9–4 win against Jacksonville State following Opening Weekend and will return to the diamond Friday at 3 p.m. to host the Radford Highlanders (2-1) for a three-game series. Radford is coming off a 5-6 loss to Davidson after sweeping Army on its opening weekend. The Highlanders are
hitting .667 percent and continue their 12-game road trip due to an expansion project at the Radford baseball field. The Highlanders are led by junior designated hitter Matt Hillsinger who is hitting .615 and is followed by sophomore first baseman Cory Turner, hitting .556. The Tigers opened their season last Friday with a 12–5 win over Arkansas State in front of
the largest Opening Day crowd in Plainsman Park history. The opening day sellout crowd of 4,096 was the largest, beating the 3,317 mark set in 2003 against Western Carolina. The weekend crowd of 11,514 was also the thirdlargest crowd to watch a three-game series in Plainsman Park. “The crowd tonight was unreal,” said junior outfielder Creede Simpson
following Friday’s game. “I want to thank every fan that came out. We love playing for them.” Simpson finished 3-for3 with a pair of walks and tied his career-high with four runs scored. “I was seeing the ball well and so were a lot of other guys, and we were able to put some good swings on the ball and get some runs,” Simpson said. “Our pitching did a great » See Baseball, D2
The Auburn women’s tennis team is off to the Blue Gray Invitational and is hoping to be serving and acing their way up the rankings. After a successful weekend at home with a 7–0 win against Alabama A&M and a 4–3 win against Memphis, the team hopes to carry that momentum to the invitational in Montgomery Feb. 25–27. The team started off with a competitive schedule early in the season and struggled to get a win under its belt. “We wanted to have an ambitious schedule to start, you have to play the best when you’re in the best conference in the country,” said coach Tim Gray. “ I just told them to stay positive and keep working hard.” Gray said the theme of
their season so far is adapting for every game. With two teammates injured and five freshman adjusting to the collegiate level of tennis, Gray said they need to continue working hard and adapt to the changes that come their way. “We want to be a team that doesn’t give away free points and a team that won’t allow any easy outs,” Gray said. This is the first time in its history the Blue Gray Invitational has been opened up to women. Normally there are 16 men’s teams who participate in the tournament, but this year there are eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams. “We’re excited to play in the inaugural event,” Gray said. “We’re looking at it as a great opportunity to try and get some ranked wins and climb back up in the rankings.” The Auburn Tigers will be competing against teams from all around the nation including DePaul University, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma University, » See Tennis, D2
Sports D2
The Auburn Plainsman
TENNIS » From D1
University of Utah, University of Virginia and University of Alabama. Gray said all of the teams will be highly competitive, but Alabama and Virginia should prove to be particularly challenging matches. “Alabama is very good this year; their ranking is not indicative of how good they are,” Gray said. “I think they’re in the 30s or 40s right now but they’re a top 20 team.” Alabama’s women’s tennis team knocked out its second 7–0 win against the Chattanooga Lady Mocs Sunday, which was the Crimson Tide’s third sweep in a row and fourth of the season. The University of Virginia recently defeated Baylor, ranked third in the nation, and Gray said the team is ready and excited for the challenge.
“It will be a great experience to play against competitive matches,” said freshman Jacqueline Kasler. “We’re ready and looking forward to it.” Kasler and Olivia Bennett, who are both freshmen, said the team’s positivity and hard work is what’s going to earn them wins in the future. Kasler also said that above all, the team’s greatest strength is its heart and that every player is a competitor and wants to win. “No matter what the score is, we’re always there giving it 100 percent,” Bennett said. Gray said the team isn’t happy about their No. 61 ranking, and they look forward to getting some wins at the Blue Gray Invitational to begin climbing the rankings. “Our conference is a tough field; it’s like playing in an NCAA tournament,” Gray said. “We’ll have to be ready to play.”
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Thursday, February 24, 2011
BASEBALL » From D1
job for us. They kept us in the game.” Sophomore pitcher Slade Smith got the start and pitched into the sixth, surrendering four runs. Freshman Ethan Wallen threw the final three and a half innings to earn the save, allowing a run on three hits and a walk, striking out two. Following the Tigers’ Opening Day win, Auburn suffered its first loss at the hands of the No. 13 Virginia Cavaliers. Virginia starting pitcher senior Tyler Wilson held Auburn to just three hits during six full innings and never allowed a runner to reach second, only facing four hitters in an inning twice. “We didn’t do too many things right in the second half of the game,” said Auburn head coach John Pawlowski following the loss. “Cory Luckie gave us a chance. He threw the ball well. It was a close ball game, and then a couple of things didn’t go our way. Virginia was outstanding
REBEKAH WEAVER / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
UAB’s coach watches as senior Sean Ray winds up to pitch.
today. We couldn’t get anything going, and this is a disappointing and frustrating loss.” The Tigers closed the weekend with strong defense and a win. Junior pitcher Derek Varnadore did not allow a hit until there with two
outs in the fifth inning. “I thought Derek did a great job,” Pawlowski said. “UAB can really run, and it was important that we kept their lead-off guy off base. Derek pitched seven strong innings and in six of those innings, he got the lead-off guy out.”
After leading the country with a school record 131 home runs in 2010, Auburn went without a homer until senior outfielder Tony Caldwell broke the slum after hitting a firstinning grand-slam in Auburn’s 9–4 win against Jacksonville State. Tuesday’s game between Auburn and Jacksonville State was a rematch of the two team’s first game in the 2010 NCAA Auburn regional, which Auburn won 9–7. Creede Simpson went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, a RBI and a two runs scored while junior infielder Dan Gamache was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Junior pitcher Jon Luke Jacobs earned his first win since March 28, 2009 at Vanderbilt after Will Irvin left in the fifth inning and finished the game by allowing just two hits and zero walks. “It felt good just to get back out there coming off of last season which was a little tough for me,” Jacobs said. “I was feeding off the guys in the dugout and I was feeling good.”
Men’s tennis team bouncing back Colton Campbell WRITER
After a close loss, the men’s tennis team is ready to get back on the court. The Tigers will play in the Blue Gray National Classic this weekend in Montgomery. Coach Eric Shore said there are some good teams in the tournament, and he would like his team to do well. “We’d like to be in the top,” Shore said. “We’ve got a kind of home-court advantage with it being in Montgomery.” Among the eight teams participating in the tournament is in-state rival Alabama (5–1), which is coming off a win at Southern Methodist. Shore said he would like for Sunday’s match to teach the players skills they will need in the tournament. “Hopefully we will be able to take what we learned today and carry it over to next weekend,” Shore said. The Tigers fell to Georgia Tech Sunday in a close match with a final score of 4–3. The No. 15 Yellow Jackets (7–1) won the doubles matches and three of the singles matches, while the No. 22 Tigers (5–2) won three of the singles matches. Shore said it was a tough loss, and he thought his
CHRISTEN HARNED / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Lucas Lopasso, sophomore, stretches to hit the ball at the men’s tennis match Sunday against Georgia Tech. team did a great job. “They played well in doubles, but we came back and gave ourselves a shot in singles,” Shore said. “Tim Puetz did a great job at No. 1 singles, and I give Daniel Cochrane credit for fighting back and saving his match points. “It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t close the deal on other matches.” Freshman Daniel Cochrane, chosen by the SEC as Freshman of the Week, had a close battle with Georgia Tech sophomore
Magin Ortega. Their match had four match points and ended in favor of the Tigers with scores of 6–7, 7–6 and 6–3. “At the end of one of the sets I won I felt only pure joy,” Cochrane said. “Managing to come back from behind—to do that was great.” Cochrane said he felt like he hit a wall during his last set. “I was just completely, physically tired,” he said. “And also I had lost a little of the spirit because we had
already lost.” Senior Tim Puetz defeated the 14th-ranked player in the country, senior Guillermo Gomez, 6–4 and 6–2. “That was definitely a good feeling,” Puetz said. “Being injured for most of the fall and not getting to play for a long time, it was good to get back on track with that.” Puetz said he plans on working on little details this week before the tournament in Montgomery. “I need to do some tweaking on my form,” Puetz said. “But really, I just need to play more.” Cochrane said he needed to work on his forehand before his next match, but the rest of his game was good. Shore said Georgia Tech had an experienced team leading to their win. The Yellow Jackets have five seniors on their team compared to Auburn’s two, Shore said. “You’re going to have games like that,” Shore said. “You just have to learn from them.” Also set to play in the Blue Gray National Classic are Boise State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pepperdine, Texas Tech and Arizona. After the team plays in the tournament, it will go on the road for two SEC matches against Georgia and Tennessee.
Lacrosse faces busy weekend Alison McFerrin ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
The lacrosse team will face an action-packed weekend with three games in two days. With a record of two wins and one loss, coach Addison Barden, graduate student in entomology, said the main thing the team needs to work on is its transition game. “We got beat at least three or four goals in the fourth quarter against Ohio University off unsettled situations and bad transitions,” Barden said. Despite that shortcoming, the team was still able to win. “(It was) a close game,” Barden said. “It actually came down to the last second. We were actually a man down and brought home the ‘W’, so that was a great win for us.” Barden said the team would practice hard until
Wednesday before tapering off to give the players time to rest before their threegame weekend. Jack Mullen, sophomore in predentistry, said he thinks the team will be well-prepared for the challenge. “We have a lot of really good athletes on our team,” Mullen said. “We’ve just got to keep moving the ball, and I think things will take care of themselves. I think we should be fine.” Jack Mabrey, sophomore in history and secondary education, said the main challenge may be not knowing what the other teams are like. “It’s a bunch of teams a lot of us have never seen before,” Mabrey said. “We’ve just got to come out and try to stay in our game because I think if we try to do things based on what they’re doing, then we’re going to end up getting in trouble.
“So we’ve got to come out and be confident in our own game and our own style.” The team’s youth adds a dimension of mystery about future opponents, but Barden said this was still the team’s greatest strength. “At this age we have so much talent—three or four years down the road we’re going to be unbelievable,” Barden said. “I really think our youth is going to put us in good places in a couple years.” Mabrey said the challenging part of having young players is getting them accustomed to collegiate competition. “A lot of these guys are used to playing 12-minute quarters in high school, and the transition to 15-minute quarters is pretty tough,” Mabrey said. Mabrey said this change is especially difficult considering how fast-paced the
sport is. “You’ve got to do everything on the fly, whether it’s subbing or going from offense to defense or doing anything—it’s nonstop,” Mabrey said. Lacrosse has been called the fastest game on two feet, and players agree there is nothing quite like it in the sports world. “Combine the physicalness of hockey and the endurance of soccer and then the defense of basketball, and you have lacrosse,” said John Michael Beddome, sophomore majoring in business management and finance. Even though the team came out last in preseason rankings, Barden said they believe they have the possibility to win it all. “I’m excited about the team unity,” Barden said. “I’m really happy and proud of the guys and where we’re at right now.”
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sports D3
The Auburn Plainsman
Tigers aim to tumble past Panthers Jordan Dale WRITER
On the heels of a close meet against the University of Florida, Auburn gymnastics prepares for Pittsburgh and looks to compete at full strength. In a season plagued by injuries, coach Jeff Graba is optimistic about this week. “I feel like (this) week we’ll be pretty much as close to full strength as we can get,” Graba said. One athlete who is using this week to recover is senior Rachel Innis, who has become a crowd favorite with her floor routine which features her striking the Heisman pose. Innis injured her shoulder Feb. 14 in a floor routine. She tweaked her shoulder again during her routine Friday against Florida and opted out of the beam to avoid the risk of further injury. Sophomore Toi Garcia said she is a bit nervous about facing a northern team; however, she is going to treat Pittsburgh like any other meet and focus on her individual performance. Pittsburgh (3–7) will
have to handle the same pressures that Auburn did at Florida and Alabama, including loyal, loud fans and other obstacles that come with facing an SEC team. “It’s going to be a breakout week next week,” said junior Kylie Shields, “especially with our fans behind us.” Shields said she expects “big things” next week, and the team is maintaining its normal goal to get better at one more thing throughout the week. A younger team, Pittsburgh offers surprising talent in freshmen Maya Ketner, Kori Macdonald and Katie O’Rourke. Pittsburgh has a total of nine freshmen and sophomores and only three seniors. Other strong competitors include sophomore Alyssa Adrian on the bars and senior Mallory Brewer on floor. With Auburn hopefully competing at full strength for the first time this semester, fans can anticipate great routines and better scores Friday. Last week, Auburn came up shy against No. 1 University of Florida in Gainesville with a final
TODD VAN EMST / MEDIA RELATIONS
Auburn’s Justine Foster performs on the floor, scoring a 9.8 against the University of Florida Feb. 18.
score of 196.850–194.950. Auburn trailed throughout the meet, falling short in the vault, bars and beam. “We did a really good job,” Graba said. “We had some unfortunate things happen, but we were handling the pressure and the adversity well.” More than 6,000 were in attendance for Florida’s last home meet. “After Alabama last week, no fans could be as intimidating,” Shields said.
Florida’s Marissa King won the vault with a score of 9.95, followed by Garcia with a 9.850 and junior Justine Foster with a score of 9.800. Team totals were 49.375 versus Auburn’s 48.650. Shields tied for first on the beam against Florida’s Caquatto with a score of 9.875. Florida scored 49.200 against Auburn’s 48.400. Garcia shined in Gainesville, leading the Tigers on vault with a score of 9.850
TODD VAN EMST / MEDIA RELATIONS
Auburn’s Toi Garcia performs on the floor against Florida.
and in floor with a score of 9.875, as well as winning the all-around with a score of 38.800. Despite injury, Innis scored a 9.850 on the floor. Auburn won floor with a
score of 49.000 versus Florida’s 48.975. With such a strong showing against No. 1 Florida, Auburn is excited for this week’s meet against Pittsburgh.
Lolley keeps his sights focused on the big picture Brian Woodham ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
One look is all it takes. After seeing his chiseled jaw, penetrating stare and no-nonsense demeanor, it’s easy to see why Auburn’s cornerbacks exhibit his old-school mentality, grit and toughness. “I’m still from the old school—I believe that you got to hit people,” said cornerbacks coach Phillip Lolley. “I believe that you got to play hard every play. I don’t like excuses about things. Our players play with a lot of confidence.” Lolley, who has been at Auburn since joining former coach Tommy Tuberville’s staff as a strength and conditioning coach in 1999, said he thinks a coach’s job is to take his players and make them the best they can be while also making it an enjoyable experience. “Try to take them as far as they possibly can and get everything you can out of them, every inch of the way,” Lolley said. “And
I think people that can do that—that’s the difference, that is the difference in winning and losing—you know, and your players play hard and they believe in you. I think they take your personality.” Lolley’s personality was molded in Choctaw County, a sparsely-populated enclave in southwest Alabama, where he grew up rifle hunting deer, wild boar, raccoons and squirrels with the men in his family. “I remember ol’ dogs getting to tree squirrels,” Lolley said. “When I was a little boy, I had to learn to shoot ‘em with a rifle, with little 22-shorts, them little ole bitty bitty cartridges for the 22. “Grandpa and them didn’t have many shells in those things, and you didn’t miss. I remember you took just a little bit of target practice—said they didn’t want to waste ‘em. And I remember when you went out to hunt, you better not be missing much:
they wanted you to be good at it.” Lolley holds his players to a similar high standard, with no room for mistakes. He said he is hard on them in meetings, stressing fundamentals and techniques because they have to make what he calls “big-boy tackles.” Lolley holds himself to the same high standard, though, saying he imparts on his players his responsibility as a coach to get the most out of their abilities and get them to the next level. “I’ve failed them if I don’t,” Lolley said. “I’ve failed as a coach ‘cause I take great pride in that if I take these guys at a place like Auburn University, playing in the conference that we play in, playing the schedule that we play—if they don’t make it beyond here to the next level, I have failed, and I believe that.” Lolley said after a hunt, they always ate what they killed and didn’t waste
LOLLEY-GAGGING
LOLLEY
anything. They would also kill an extra deer, he said, if neighbors needed some meat. “We shared back and forth with each other, kinda watched out for each other,” Lolley said. “I think there’s a lot to that. I think a lot about caring for each other: the sharing, the toughness, I think all carried over. “And I believe it’s a way of life…you depend on each other. You’re a team.” Nowhere was Lolley’s toughness more manifest than in the cornerbacks, who overcame obstacles to help the Tigers lead the SEC in rushing defense. » Read the rest online at www.theplainsman.com
Track and field running toward SEC Indoor Championship title Elizabeth Fite WRITER
With the SEC Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., Feb. 25 to 27, head coach Ralph Spry said the main focus of his track and field team is to sharpen up technically and focus on details. “The SEC is always a war—it’s so competitive,” Spry said. “Normally one or two points can separate three of four teams, so our goal is always to be in upper third of the SEC every year.” According to Spry, who has coached at Auburn for 14 years, the biggest difference in outdoor and indoor competition is the size of the running track. “Indoors the track that we race on is a 200-meter track, which is half the size of an outdoor track, so it makes the race a little more technical,” Spry said. The technicalities come from additional laps and congestion, he said. Spry said the team will compete in 18–20 different
events, and he anticipates the team’s strongest events will be the sprints, shot put and several of the distance races on the men’s side. As for the women, sprint races, distance races and the high jump are the most promising events. Ten teams are competing in the men’s division, with every SEC team represented with the exception of Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. Twelve women’s teams from every school in the SEC will be represented in the women’s division. Spry said he was concerned about the team’s potential at the start of the year because Auburn doesn’t have an indoor track facility, and the weather put a damper on early season preparations. However, the recent warm weather has helped the team’s training. According to Spry, the SEC tournament is the team’s biggest indoor competition other than the NCAA National Cham-
pionships and serves as an important step in preparing for nationals. The indoor national championships will take place the second week of March and will mark the end of the indoor season and the beginning of the outdoor spring season. The outdoor season will go until the National Championships in June. Holly Knight, senior in human development and family studies, said she is looking forward to the SEC tournament and expects the team to do well. “Last year we had a pretty bad year—we had a lot of bad luck—people kept getting injured,” Knight said. “I think this year will be a lot better, and we are going out there to try and win.” Knight is an All-American and has set two school records this season in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. “There are a lot of good people in the SEC, so it would definitely be a highlight of my season to win,”
Knight said. “It would give me a lot of confidence for the races coming up after that.” Knight said this race will be slightly different for her because the track at Arkansas is banked in the corners. So far this season Knight has only competed on flat tracks. Stephen Saenz, sophomore in health promotions and kinesiology, said he is preparing for the tournament by cutting back on weightlifting this week and trying to relax mentally. Saenz is a redshirt freshman who currently leads the SEC and is tied for third in the nation in the shot put. Saenz said he is pleased with his and his teammates’, Eric Werskey and Marcus Popensoose, performances thus far. Werskey is currently ranked second in the SEC and fourth in the country behind Saenz. For the indoor competition, Saenz and his team-
mates will compete in the shot put and weight throw. Discus throwing only takes place in outdoor competition. Saenz said his greatest accomplishment this season was having his best on his last of six throws in his previous competition. “I feel like I’ve dealt with pressure very well this season, and hopefully I can do the same here at SECs and nationals,” Saenz said. According to Saenz, the competition should be exciting because there are three other men in the SEC who have already qualified for nationals in the shot put. He said one player from Florida is especially close to his and Werskey’s throws. Saenz said his teammates Werskey and Popensoose have been key factors in his success this year because they are always encouraging and pushing each other to be better. “Our team as a whole is really united,” Saenz said.
“Even though we’re real competitive on the field, we’re a really tight-knit group of guys.” Saenz said throwing indoors is slightly different than outdoors because the shot put is bigger and plastic, as opposed to the metal shot put. According to Spry, measuring the team’s overall success can be difficult because events are primarily based on the performance of individuals and not the team. The team’s success is often measured by individual qualifications. “We have quite a few people that have already qualified for the National Championships, which is a big deal,” Spry said. Because Auburn is a combined program, Spry is the coach for both the men’s and women’s teams. He said the advantage of this system is all six coaches are able to spread their insight throughout the whole team as opposed to being limited to three coaches per side.
Sports D4
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Golf drives for win Rachel Hampton WRITER
BETH REVELLE / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Junior guard Parrisha Simmons drives against a South Carolina defender Sunday.
Tigers prepare for Bulldogs Nick Van Der Linden ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
The Auburn women’s basketball team will face the Georgia Bulldogs Thursday at 6 p.m., looking to end a two-game losing streak after a disappointing 65–49 loss Sunday against the South Carolina Gamecocks. “We couldn’t get to their shooters, and they started knocking down 3-pointers and got the lead,” said head coach Nell Fortner following the South Carolina game. “South Carolina has some really nice placers, and they are very physical on defense, and we had a lot of trouble dealing with that tonight.” “We have to go back home, regroup and get ready to play.” Sophomore guard Morgan Toles paced the Tigers with 11 points along with junior forward Chantel Hilliard, who scored 11 after coming off the bench. Toles also added a
game-high seven assists. Fortner also gave credit to a defense that forced Auburn to turn the ball over 19 times, contributing to 24 South Carolina points. “They are physical defensively,” Fortner said. “I didn’t think we responded well in the first half to how physical they were defensively to us. “It affects how you run your offense, it affects where you get your shots and what kind of looks you get, and we didn’t get very many good looks today.” Sophomore guard Blanche Alverson and junior guard Morgan Jennings led Auburn with four rebounds each while Jennings also added six points, four rebounds and a team-high three steals in her seventh career start. “Morgan played very well,” Fortner said. “She is a great athlete and she came in and made some big plays for us. She is a
small guard, but plays really big.” The No. 22 Bulldogs are coming off a 77–44 loss against the No. 4 Lady Volunteers, a game in which sophomore guard Jasmine James paced the Bulldogs with 11 points, while sophomore forward Anne Marie Armstrong added 10 points off the bench. Georgia remains in second place in the Southeastern Conference standings, one game ahead of Kentucky and Vanderbilt, as it faces Auburn in its last regular season home event. With a win against Auburn or against Florida in its season finale, the Lady Bulldogs can secure a first-round bye for next weekend’s SEC tournament in Nashville. Fortner said she knows her team has a challenge cut out for them. Auburn will finish its regular season Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Kentucky Wildcats.
The Division of Student Affairs is accepting applications for the position of:
Editor-in-chief The Auburn Plainsman
Qualifications: Must be a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate student with at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point average at the time of qualification. Should have spent two or more years working for The Auburn Plainsman with at least one year being on paid staff or the equivalent thereof. Must have been a resident student for a minimum of three semesters. Additional details are given on the application form. Application forms are available at the Division of Student Affairs office, 3248 Student Center.
Application deadline is March 11. For more information, contact John Carvalho, Plainsman adviser, at carvajp@auburn.edu
The women’s golf team is trading in the warm beaches of Puerto Rico for the wind and water of New Orleans. After a 14th-place finish last week in the Puerto Rico Invitational, the 24thranked Tigers will tee off Feb. 27 against LSU, Alabama and a slew of other SEC teams in the All State Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate Championship in New Orleans. “We won it last year, and we are hoping that’ll be a good thing for us,” said head coach Kim Evans. “Most of the teams there are ranked in the top 20, so every team is capable of winning.” In last year’s tournament,
junior Haley Wilson, senior Cydney Clanton and the Tigers played well despite the windy conditions. “It was pretty windy last year, so we’re expecting wind again this year and just getting ready to play in the wind,” Wilson said. “You just kind have to work on the different shots and different directory shots while you’re out there.” The traditionally windy course gives the Tigers an opportunity to work on all parts of their game. “Really, it still comes down to a lot of short-game practice,” Evans said. “We will try to hit every area of their game—long game, mid-irons, short game and putting.” The English Turn Golf
& Country Club course, a par-72, 6,200-yard course, presents many challenges, including water hazards on every hole. “Last year, I played really well down there,” Clanton said. “It’s always really good to go back to a golf course you played well at and just experience the competition again against the greatest.” Clanton will bring her lucky footwear back to New Orleans as well . “I wear alternate shoes,” Clanton said. “My right shoe is always orange, and my left shoe is always blue.” Ever since Clanton’s freshman year, when she saw a teammate sporting the mismatched shoes, Clanton hasn’t played a tournament without them.
Softball still perfect
EMILY ADAMS / PHOTO EDITOR
Junior Angel Bunner pitches in Auburn’s 3–1 win over Campbell Feb. 18. The undefeated Lady Tigers (9–0) face Georgia Southern at 12:30 p.m. and Belmont at 3 p.m. in a doubleheader Friday at Jane B. Moore Field.