5.17.12 edition of the Auburn Plainsman by The Auburn Plainsman

New species of spider discovered on the Plains

Toomer’s Oaks Update

The Auburn Plainsman A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID www.theplainsman.com

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Vol. 119, Issue 1, 8 Pages

Redistricting includes Shelby, Madison County Zeke Turrentine COMMUNITY BEAT REPORTER

RACHEL SUHS / DESIGN EDITOR

A graphic illustration of a tumor under a microscope. The AURIC is using an anti-tumor drug to research a cure for skin cancer.

AURIC uses anti-tumor drug to research skin cancer cure TJ Harlin CAMPUS EDITOR

One of the scariest words in the English language is cancer. According to the President’s Cancer Panel, 41 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and 20 percent of people will die from it. It is a disease that affects everyone. But researchers at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine are trying to find a cure for the disease by testing on malignant melanoma. Scientists with the Auburn University Research Initiative in Cancer will be working with Nuovo Biologics, a biotechnology company based in Florida, to research a new anticancer drug. This is the first biotech cooperative for the AURIC. Nuovo and Auburn University have been in contact for about two years. “It’s really good that Auburn University is entertaining partnerships with industry to do applied research and development,” said Dr. Jay Yourist, CEO of Nuovo Biologics. “I believe we have created a very strong collaboration.”

CONTRIBUTED

Director of the Auburn University Research Initiative in Cancer Dr. Bruce Smith is working with Nuovo Biologics to develop an anti-tumor drug.

Though paperwork is still being done, clinical trials of the new drug should begin soon. “The FDA has given us the opportunity to go after a condition approval for canine malignant melanoma,” Yourist said. “Melanoma is a very aggressive tumor.” Melanoma is a form of skin cancer. The findings in dogs could eventually help humans. “Dogs and humans both get mel-

anoma,” said AURIC director Dr. Bruce Smith. “Canines are a very good model for the human disease,” Yourist said, “(Nuovo and Auburn) are looking at animal models to translate to the human space.” Testing on dogs would be a humane process. According to Smith, random dogs would not be given melanoma just for research purposes. “Testing would be done on people’s pets with melanoma,” Smith said. “We will offer to let them in on an experimental trial.” Smith is optimistic that the new drug will be successful. “There is pretty good evidence so far,” Smith said. However he also added, “As a scientist I have to keep an open mind.” The AURIC is also working on many other cancer treatments, with cancer research being done across the university. “Cancer research is a universitywide effort,” Smith said. Dr. Curt Bird, a Professor of Molecular Biology and Cancer Genetics, has an ongoing clinical trial with

AUBURN UNIVERSITY

» See RESEARCH, 2

Research Initiative in Cancer

In Alabama’s 2010 local elections , republicans took majorities in both the state House and Senate, putting them in control of the committee that redraws the 140 state electoral districts as well as the state’s seven United States congressional districts. 2012 is the first year they will be in charge of the process since Reconstruction. Representatives Joe Hubbard and John Knight of Montgomery will lose a district to Shelby County, and Representatives Demetrius Newton and Patricia Todd of Birmingham will lose a seat to Madison County. “To move a district that’s wholly within Jefferson County to Madison County makes no sense at all,” Newton told al.com. “I think it’s a bad move, and I think we’ll probably end up in court.” House Minority Leader Representative Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, said the meeting didn’t go well. “They opened them up and ran over us — no debate, no input,” Ford said. Ford also was not pleased with the quality of the maps that were passed out at the meeting, but Republican committee members said better quality maps would be available later in that week. McClendon stressed that the plan is by no means set in stone and reminded constituents that changes may be made in this week’s legislative session. Dial said the plan kept most of the district lines in tact. “There’s three things you need to understand about this plan: It did not regress any of the minority districts, it put no senators in the same district, and to the best of our ability, we kept county and city lines intact,” Dial told al.com In the Auburn-Opelika area, Dial’s Senate plan includes an increase in the district populations in Lee County, District 13, for himself and Auburn Republican Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, District 27, and a small decrease in district population in Lee County for Billy Beasley, District 28. House Districts 38, 82 and 83, represented respectively by Duwayne Bridges, R-Valley, Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, and George Bandy, D-Opelika, will see gains in population.

House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) will lose small numbers from his District 79. The Permanent Legislative Committee on Reapportionment was formed in 1990 and is made up of six members: three senators appointed by the lieutenant governor and three representatives appointed by the speaker of the house. This year, however, the committee swelled to 22 members. Because this is the first year since the most recent U.S. census, the committee is constitutionally bound to reapportion and redistrict the state. In these “on-years”, the committee’s members are still appointed by the lieutenant governor and speaker, but they each receive 11 positions to fill - one from each of the state’s U.S. House districts and four “at-large” nominees. Though the 1901 constitution and federal law requires this process be done after each federal census, Alabama did not redistrict from 1901 through 1972 when the repercussions of a Birmingham court case, based on the 14th Amendment and various civil rights acts of the 1950s and 1960s, led to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Baker v. Carr. The state’s 35 Senate seats and 105 House spots are already set by law. This year’s plan was worked on by the committee, including the plan’s namesakes and committee co-chairmen Sen. Gerald Dial (RLineville) and Rep. Jim McClendon (R-Springville), and passed in a meeting last Wednesday. The State House will then receive the plan and a special legis-

» See REDISTRICTING, 2

Residence halls receive costly renovations The Hill residence halls receive a $1.9 million renovation for new roofing TJ Harlin CAMPUS EDITOR

Students living on The Hill will soon have a new roof over their heads. For the first time since the late 1980s, the roofing on all of the residence halls on The Hill will be replaced. Construction on the roofs began last week and should be finished by fall semester. “The target completion date (to finish the roofs) is August 3, 2012,” said Ben Chapman, the Construction Project Manager. The project will cost $1.9 million, but the roofs should last more than 30 years, according to Chapman. The construction at The Hill will

cause the parking lot for M Hall, Boyd Hall and Knapp Hall as well as the parking lot for Dowell Hall, Sasnett Hall, Leischuck Hall and Graves Hall to be closed until May 27. The parking lots serving Dobbs Hall, Dunn Hall, Toomer Hall, Glenn Hall and Duncan Hall will be closed later in the summer also. Parking can still be found in the area despite construction. “Students can park at the new parking deck at Lem Morrison and the Poultry Sciences parking lot,” Chapman said. Although The Hill will be undergoing changes, it will still be the home for the overnight campers that visit Auburn this summer. Sara Kate Bradfield, sophomore in

apparel design and production management, lived on The Hill last year and is the second generation of her family to live on The Hill. “My mom and my aunt both lived on The Hill, and it was really cool for them to move me in and tell me their stories about their time here,” Bradfield said. “I met so many new people while living on The Hill,” Bradfield said. “By the time I left for the summer, I felt like I had met every single person on my hall.” Bradfield said the new roofs are well deserved. “It’s great that Auburn is maintaining these buildings,” Bradfield said. “It would be great to be able to move my own children into The Hill someday.”

INSIDE Campus » A1 | Community » 5 | Opinions » 4 | Classifieds » 8 | Sports » 7

DANIELLE LOWE / PHOTO EDITOR

The Hill residence halls have not been updated since the late 1980s.

Campus 2

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Events at The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art May 17, 2012

A Little Lunch Music

CONTRIBUTED

RESEARCH » From 1

dogs with breast cancer. He is working on a therapeutic vaccine that would help the immune system kill the cancer. Other researchers at Auburn are hoping to perfect older ways of curing cancer. Dr. Valery Petrenko, Professor in the Department of Pathobiology, is developing a chemotherapy technique that

REDISTRICTING » From 1

lative session will be called by Gov. Robert Bentley, whowould then confirm the plan . From there it would go to

is more effective. “Chemotherapy is very toxic,” Smith said, “It will kill the cancer cells, but will also kill good cells.” Smith said chemotherapy was like spraying a yard with a weed killer to kill the weeds, but killing your grass in the process. Petrenko is working to deliver chemo in a way that would only kill the cancerous cells. the Federal Department of Justice who, in accordance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, must be assured that minorities’ voting rights are not affected in any detrimental way.

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Film: The Mill and the Cross 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. May 18, 2012

JCSM celebrates International Museum Day 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. May 21, 2012

Southern Artists: Selected Works by Artists Featured in Facing South 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

DANIELLE LOWE / PHOTO EDITOR

The Lowder Lounge, located in the Lowder Business Building Room 0003, is open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The menu includes coffee, pastries, snacks and sandwiches.

Lowder Lounge offers morning brew Zeke Turrentine STAFF WRITER

Dining services strives to offer convenience and quality to students and faculty, but a few buildings on campus have fewer choices than other. The Lowder Business Building now offers the Lowder Lounge, a coffee shop that offers snacks, pastries and sandwiches as well

as coffee. The new coffee shop opened Tuesday morning. Soloing for the summer, barista LaTanishia Conas said there will be a full service Caribou Coffee bar and extended hours in the fall. Currently the lounge has light and dark roast coffee and at least seven varieties of tea to choose from, along with

a large selection of snacks and pastries. The menu also includes cake slices, muffins, cupcakes, paninis, sandwiches and a variety of breakfast snacks such as Nutri-Grain bars and PopTarts. Several sales are offered by the shop for returning customers or eco-friendly coffee tea drinkers.

The lounge offers a hole punch card for each cup bought and the eighth drink is free. If a personal cup is brought in, a discount of $1.50 is offered for the first cup and refills are $1.15. “I think it’s a great idea to have( a coffee shop) there so students don’t have to walk all the way to the student center

Lowder Lounge Classics

Small Coffee Medium Coffee Large Coffee Small Cold Press Medium Cold Press Large Cold Press

$1.79 $1.99 $2.09 $2.39 $2.79 $3.09

to keep them going or to wake up in the morning,” said Mark Ryan, senior in accounting. Tyler Phelps, senior in accounting, said he also thinks the shop is a good idea. “I’m going to love having it there,” Phelps said. “A drink shop right where most of my classes are will really cut down on time spent in between classes running over to EDITORIAL Robert e. lee Editor-in-chief Managing editor Melody Kitchens Copy editor Anna Conrad Photo editor Danielle Lowe Campus editor TJ Harlin rebecca moseley Campus reporter Community editor andrew yawn zeke turrentine Community reporter Sports editor john holtrop Design editor rachel suhs Online editor nathan simone benjamin croomes

Opinions editor

ADS Lorenzo Lane, Stacey McMahan, Payton Haisten, Ami Butterworth Account Executives Tiffany Middleton, Allison Braund, Whitney Potts Advertising design

Paninis

Made to Order auburn.edu/dining @TigerDining #Lowder Lounge

$4.29

Payton Haisten and Katie Wittnebel

Distribution

the student center for something.” The new lounge is currently located in Lowder 0003 with a sign to help identify the location. Summer hours are 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The location, menu and hours may change pending the Lowder constuction project.

The Auburn Plainsman A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID Student Union Suite 1111 Auburn, Al 36849 Editor: 334.844.9021 News: 334.844.9109 General Manager: 334.844.9101 Advertising: 334.844.4130 ROBERT E. LEE Editor-in-chief editor@theplainsman.com JUDY RIEDL General Manager gm@theplainsman.com KIM RAPE Office Manager MAILING ADDRESS 255 Heisman Drive, Suite 1111 Auburn, Al 36849

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The Auburn Plainsman

DANIELLE LOWE / PHOTO EDITOR

The Toomer’s Oaks were poisened last January and have been receiving various treatments to attempt to reverse the effects.

Toomer’s Oaks remain in treatment Rebecca Moseley CAMPUS BEAT REPORTER

Toomer’s Oaks are currently the focus of a set of arboreal experiments at the University to attempt to reverse the effects of the herbicidal attack from Harvey Updyke in January 2011. During the initial recovery process, the focus was to do no further harm to the trees. The rapid decline in the trees’ health forced the recovery team to perform an invasive procedure involving the injection of sugars that are said to aid in the process of photosynthesis. The way the herbicide attacked the trees produced an indirect effect by hindering the absorption of sugars during the photosynthesis process. The sugar injections are believed to hit the heart of the problem. On April 4, the last update of Toomer’s Oaks showed little sign of improvement through the first sugar injections.

Less than a week later, the trees showed signs of improved photosynthesis. Two arborists from Tennessee lead the first injection attempt, but the trees’ recovery team leader, Dr. Gary Keever, and others from Auburn plan to make another attempt within the next two weeks. “I truthfully think that this is the only thing that will keep the trees alive for an extended period of time,” Keever said. The 49 holes that were drilled into the roots and used as ports for the injections are risky and possibly harmful because each hole becomes an entry point for potential pathogens. Economics professor Macy Finck said the fate of the trees is unknown. “It’s a place so special that it made a deranged outsider so jealous that he attempted to destroy it,” said Finck during this year’s Final Lecture, a ceremony that gives students an opportunity to present

the most deserving professor with an award celebrating their contributions within the classroom. “The live oaks at Toomer’s Corner may not survive, but if the attempt to kill the trees was an attempt to kill the Auburn spirit, well the perpetrator should have been more familiar with his Dr. Seuss, because you can’t kill the Auburn spirit any more than you can steal Christmas,” Finck said. “Trees or no trees, the Auburn family will continue to gather at the corner of College and Magnolia.” Many specialists are currently working to experiment with the recovery of the nearly century-year-old Toomer’s Oaks. The southern live oaks not only have survived the poisoning, but a non-homogeneous environment, meaning the oaks were not expected to live for so long due to the climate and temperature settings in Auburn. The trees are preserved by cement walls surrounding the

CONTRIBUTED BY GARY KEEVER

Sugar injections are being given to the oaks to improve the process of photosynthesis.

flare roots which have held in the heat necessary for their survival. “It’s just unfortunate that an entire community has to suffer the repercussions of one person’s actions,” said Francis Herrera, economis. On May 10, a lift was used to remove all of the dead wood from the branches of the two oak trees. Along with applying fertilizer and root stimulants to

the soil every two weeks and ensuring adequate water supply, scientists and experts have been experimenting with injections of sugar into the flare roots of the oaks. The interconnected system of tubing began in a large reservoir of several types of sugar. Glucose, fructose and sucrose were all included. The recovery team plans to figure out how much glucose and carbon should be present

for future injections. “I’m trying to figure out how much glucose a healthy tree would produce and the trees weren’t healthy during the first injections,” said Keever. He said that by measuring the area of the leaves, they can measure the rate of photosynthesis in order to see if the injections are helping. “We don’t have a road map,” Keever said.

Diamond Dolls support baseball, cancer research Rebecca Moseley CAMPUS BEAT REPORTER

The Diamond Dolls not only cheer on the Auburn baseball team, but they also raise money for cancer research. The organization consists of 75 girls with seven officers, including a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, public relations who deal with marketing, graphic designer and spirit leader. Outside of baseball season, during the fall, the Diamond Dolls’ conduct the Home Run Derby, an event that supports the Tim Hudson Family Foundation. In the spring, members work constantly to promote and market the team by welcoming fans and by marketing through various promotions. Arriving early to games and cheering constantly are other responsibilities on game days, as well as decorating the baseball locker room for inspiration. They also work with the Diamond Club, which supports the development of the baseball team and hosts an annual baseball banquet. “This past year, we sponsored a Miracle League as well,” said Mary Ryan, treasurer and hotel and restaurant management major,. The Diamond Dolls’ most recent fundraiser, the Strike

Out Cancer 5K on April 28, 2012, was organized by the Diamond Doll president, Julianna Young. The Strike Out Cancer 5K, conducted every spring, takes place to continue the fight against cancer. Inspired by baseball coach John Pawlowski, whose daughter Mary Louise Pawlowski battled cancer several years ago. The goal of the fundraiser was to raise $10,000 for cancer research. “To plan the race, I had to fill out a lot of paper work and make contacts within the University and City of Auburn,” Young said. “The organization had to get sponsors, plan out the race route, and hire police officers [ for safety].” Not only were participants asked to join, but also volunteers, donations and sponsorships were requested from companies such as Big Blue Bagel and Tiger Surprise. The Strike Out Cancer 5K raised close to $8,000. All proceeds went to the East Alabama Medical Center in honor of Pawlowski’s daughter to help in cancer research efforts. To become a Diamond Doll, informational meetings are held at the beginning of September, and the membership process continues throughout September.

“

My favorite part about being a member of the Diamond Dolls is probably the friendships I made and how much fun we had at all the games.” —Alex Boyd DIAMOND DOLLS MEMBER

“The membership process consists of an application and two rounds of interviews.” Ryan said. “The first round of interviews is based on personality, and the second round of interviews is about basic baseball knowledge.” Once selected, individuals maintain membership status throughout the season. “My favorite part about being a member of the Diamond Dolls was probably the friendships I made and how much fun we had at all the games,” said member Alex Boyd. To find more information about the Auburn University Diamond Dolls, visit their Facebook page. Information on the Strike Out Caner 5K can be found at www.strikeoutcancer5k. mynetworksolutions.com.

CONTRIBUTED

The Diamond Dolls not only help with baseball games, but organize fundraisers with the baseball team.

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Welfare, Gay marriage not a threat grants not a sign of laziness The stigma surrounding welfare struck me after a peer gave me this definition for welfare recipients: “Recipients are 95 percent black and poor because they are so lazy. They rob the system for their whole lives, and their handouts are about $2,000 a month.” After hearing his interpretation, my jaw hit the floor. With my argument, I chose to hit close to home, or campus. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families is the program most commonly referred to as welfare. Let’s get some facts straight. To receive TANF, a family must fall under strict requirements. A family cannot obtain cash assistance for more than 24 consecutive months and no more than five years over a lifetime. Parents must partake in some form of unpaid work for 30 hours a week. Lastly, the average Alabama payment is less than $300 a month. Have you ever looked at a student on campus and thought, “This person must be on welfare?” In 2010, 128,963 college students in Alabama received a Federal Pell Grant. In all fairness of the word, these grants are a form of welfare. Did you know in 2008, the average fulltime student received $12,700 in financial aid, while a needy family of four received around $3,600 from TANF? Imagine two incoming freshmen with a GPA of 3.7 are competing for a full-ride. Typically, the student whose single mother makes $30,000 a year would receive the money before the kid with a family income of $100,000 a year. Here’s the kicker though. If the latter of the students wins the scholarship, the parents would not only let their child accept it, but they would brag about the free money. In all actuality, financial aid doesn’t differ as a handout. This is why I am asking students to question the morality of their judgments. We only judge what we do not understand. Whether we are discussing families on welfare or students whose parents cannot afford rising tuition rates, neither one of these families asked for the cards they were dealt. Be careful with your convictions about the poor. After all, how do you move forward if you are always criticized from the start? Ashlee Murphree senior, social work

North Carolina’s recent law banning gay marriage is a sign the fight for civil rights for the homosexual community is nowhere near over. Right now, the most important issue haunting most Americans is the dwindling economy. The opponents of gay marriage have blinders on, and they are not willing to see the real problems. If gay marriage were to become federally legal, nothing would happen to the United States. The idea that the sanctity of heterosexual marriage will be crippled is an imaginary issue. Recent statistics show the current divorce rate for the United States is almost 50 percent. If marriages in this country are so flippantly broken, then there is no sanctity left. Some of the loudest oppo-

nents of gay marriage, like Rush Limbaugh, have multiple divorces, but they still claim they are fighting for an ideal sacred union. Many opponents also claim to be defending their religion’s view on marriage. What they fail to realize is their religion does not apply to the rest of the country. They are imposing their religious beliefs as though they were federal law. They perceive a threat that isn’t real, and their response is infringing on the rights of the homosexual community. Of course, not all religions or religious organizations have anti-gay beliefs. Unfortunately, the ones that do have the most money and political power. I am sad to say that those are the ones that help propagate and pass laws like the one in North Carolina. The solution to this debate is quite simple.

“

We only judge what we do not understand”

Since gay marriage has no actual negative consequences, it should be completely legal. The fact that states such as North Carolina are fighting against a group of people demanding equal rights is counterproductive. Many political groups claim to be standing up for our freedoms, political or otherwise. Certain groups believe in oppressing a minority and do not understand the meaning of freedom. Hopefully, the future will bring equality, and all this arguing will look ridiculous. The voices of people standing up for the rights of the gay and lesbian community are getting louder. Whatever the reasons are for opposing gay marriage, we believe they are illegitimate. They are the result of years of ill-informed indoctrination and old world fears.

—Ashlee Murphree JUNIOR, SOCIAL WORK

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Bookstores source of high-priced Online college feasible option textbooks Nathan Simone ONLINE@ THEPLAINSMAN. COM

Soon, I might finally be able to attend the second college of my dreams: Columbia University in New York City. But how? Easy. I’ll take the classes online, possibly for free. According to the latest issue of Newsweek, Internet learning is on the rise with partnerships between major universities such as Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania helping to spur the movement. Companies like Coursera, Udacity, Khan Academy, the Minerva Project and edX are making it their job to revolutionize the way people all around the world view obtaining a higher education by democratizing it to the masses. Most of these corporations are making full courses and tutorials available online for free, but some are seeking to become substitutes for top tier brick-and-mortar universities. The for-profit Minerva Proj-

ect aims to fill gaps that Ivy League schools leave students in year after year: qualified to attend, but a lack of physical space at the university to accept all applicants. It calls itself “the first elite American university to be launched in a century,” and while I wasn’t able to find tuition statistics, you can bet that it will undercut Yale. Other non-profits, such as Coursera, founded by two professors at Stanford, simply aggregate various courses from their partner institutions and offer them online at no charge. Some the courses you can take from Coursea include: A History of the World since 1300 at Princeton, Computer Science 101 at Stanford, Game Theory at Stanford and Social Network Analysis at University of Michigan, among a couple dozen others. Even though online universities have yet come up with an adequate way to generate revenue, where there’s a culturechanging service and proper demand, there’s money somewhere. This “moving online” trend leaves physical colleges everywhere in an interesting financial situation unique to the 21st

There are many misconceptions about why textbook prices are so high. Most people seem to blame the book publishers for the exuberantly high prices, jacking up prices to create a healthier profit margin. Others cite that larger companies create a monopoly by buying smaller publishers, which allows price gouging. However, the real reason prices are so high is due to the mass selling of used books by bookstores. Bookstores raise prices on books an average of 30 to 40 percent above what they paid the publisher, a ridiculous mark up for anything manufactured. To make things even better for the bookstores, they will re-buy students’ used books for roughly 40 to 50 percent of what the students paid for them. They then turn around and sell them again for almost the price of a new book. However, the second time a book is sold in a bookstore the publisher gets absolutely nothing. Not to mention, new books bought by the bookstore can be returned for a full refund, which creates a no loss situation. Then, the publishers are forced to raise their prices. It is time this cycle stops. Instead of selling your books back to the bookstore, donate them to a particular department that can make use of them. Then professors can lend those books out each semester, not unlike high school, in that if a student loses or damages the book they are responsible for replacing it.

century. A Newsweek article stated, “How can top universities keep charging $250,000 for a fouryear degree if the courses they offer are available online at no cost?” This then begs the question: what the hell am I still doing at a “real” college? I’d like to think that I’m paying for an atmosphere and realworld education that you simply can’t get from sitting at a computer. Some call it the Auburn experience, but I just call it college. This tradition of college had to change at some point, but I think few people are ready for how fast it might actually happen. President Jay Gogue, I’m looking at you. Will a degree from an Ivy League school or other top universities such as Auburn become less valued one day because everyone with a credit card and free time will be able to work towards one? I don’t think so. As long as you’ve got the brains to show for it, I don’t think obtaining a higher education will ever do anybody wrong.

Will Lancaster junior, social work

Higher education costs no match for value of college degree While I am pleased the editorial board of the Auburn Plainsman has finally addressed an important issue and an ongoing national debate about higher education, it is disconcerting that our esteemed newspaper made the simplistic charge that “college education is not the answer for everyone” because of its high costs and diminishing returns, i.e., “school is more expensive than ever before” and “[t]here are fewer jobs for graduates than there’s been in our entire lives.” I agree there are many opportunities available for those who do not wish to earn a four-year baccalaureate degree. Technical schools, vocational training and apprenticeships provide myriad avenues for success in a broad variety of fields.

Numerous empirical studies nevertheless show that a baccalaureate degree is the primary gateway to success and even happiness in America, outliers notwithstanding. Indeed, many friends with whom I began my college career dropped out after a few semesters, saying college just wasn’t for them. I stay in touch with many of them today, and they all resoundingly declare they wish to have finished their degree. We can continue to critique the costs, accessibility and retention issues in higher education, but it will get us nowhere. In “We’re Losing Our Minds: Rethinking American Higher Education,” Richard Keeling and Richard Hersh accurately recognize the crisis in American higher education. “Other priorities—high-

The Editorial Board Robert E. Lee

T.J. Harlin

Anna Conrad

EDITOR-IN-CHEIEF

CAMPUS EDITOR

COPY EDITOR

Melody Kitchens

John Holtrup

Daniel Lowe

MANAGING EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

PHOTO EDITOR

Andrew Yawn

Rachel Suhs

NEWS EDITOR

DESIGN EDITOR

er rankings, growing enrollment, winning teams, bigger and better facilities, more revenue from sideline business, more research grants—have replaced learning as the primary touchtone for decision making.” More importantly, it has taken the pressure off many universities to educate their students with the best and brightest minds in the disciplines. Those who remain share the burden of increasing economic strains, just as their students do. Higher education imparts value and creates healthy citizenship in ways that Internetbased self-education, to paraphrase the Plainsman editorial board, never can match. The problems with higher education, such as costs and access, are important, but there

are bigger problems. Keeling and Hersh’s April 12, 2012 article on insidehighered. com hits the nail on the head. “Too many college graduates are not prepared to think critically and creatively, speak and write cogently and clearly, solve problems, comprehend complex issues, accept responsibility and accountability, take the perspective of others, or meet the expectations of employers.” This is and needs to be the current focus of higher education policy discussions in our national and state legislatures, on campuses across the country, and of course here at Auburn University. Indeed these are several of the learning outcome goals for which our university now strives and which external constituencies now expect.

Our University and its colleges excel in meeting these goals each and every year, in a state and nation with other institutions all competing for the same resources. Everyone and everything today seems to be a resource: faculty, with their stagnant salaries; students and potential students with rising tuition and incremental fee increases; and various other cutbacks and adjustments across the campus. But we’re all in this together, and we’re happy for a thriving Auburn University, even in lean times. Students—student newspaper editorial boards and elected student representatives, moreover—should play a very important role in the discussion about the current and future role of higher education. Otherwise, we shall lack a voice in this crucial debate.

Creative solutions and a cultural shift will be required to meet the demands of the current political and economic realities and to change the institutional culture of higher education. Rather than discouraging students and potential students from earning a four-year degree, let’s have a conversation about how we can make that degree more effective in the 21st century. I implore the 2012-2013 Plainsman staff to take seriously this important issue in the upcoming academic year.

David Adams doctoral student, political science

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CONTRIBUTED

Rheta GrimsleyJohnson will be reading and signing her latest book Saturday at Pioneer Park in Loachapoka.

CONTRIBUTED

Rheta GrimsleyJohnson’s fifth book focuses on Hank Williams’s effect on his fans.

Renowned journalist Rheta Grimsley Johnson to showcase book at Hank Williams Music Festival Andrew Yawn COMMUNITY EDITOR

Almost 60 years later, he’s still an inspiration. This Saturday, hundreds will gather at Pioneer Park to honor Hank Williams at the Hank Williams Music Fest in Loachapoka. Rheta Grimsley Johnson, a lifelong Hank fan and acclaimed reporter and columnist, will be featured at the event as she reads and signs her latest book “Hank Hung the Moon and Warmed our Cold, Cold Hearts.” The book, named after her favorite Hank Williams song “Cold, Cold Heart,” contains personal memoirs and accounts amassed over the past few decades from fans whose lives have been touched by the magic of Williams’ music, according to Johnson. “His music has meant an awful lot to a lot of people and different kinds

of people,” Johnson said. “He’s more than just a hillbilly country singer, his influence is actually worldwide.” A pioneer of country music and an icon of southern culture, Hank Williams’ songs have resonated throughout the decades to influence legendary musicians such as Neil Young, Bob Dylan and John Fogerty. And yet, his connection with his fans may be even stronger. During her 30-year career as a columnist for various papers, Johnson said her occasional mentions of Williams always elicited a large response from readers who felt the need to share their Hank stories. Now that Johnson, an Auburn alumna, has published them, she said she’s getting even more of these stories. “Going around selling copies, I’ve heard a lot more Hank stories, even people that didn’t know him remem-

ber where they were the first time they heard a Hank Williams song,” Johnson said. Johnson cannot remember the first time she heard Williams strum his acoustic guitar and croon about life, love and everything in between, but attributes this memory loss to Williams having a constant presence in her life. “So many people do remember, but Hank has always been singing (in my life),” Johnson said. “My father was a huge Hank fan so I heard it a lot in my home … I just heard Hank music everywhere.” In an ironic twist of fate, Johnson was born in January 1953 — the same month that Williams died. ”I’ve always had it in the back of my mind to do something with Hank as a central figure,” Johnson said. “I love all kinds of music … but Hank Williams, in particular, has always

been something I return to again and again.” Johnson is quick to point out that the book is not a biography of Williams, but focuses instead on how his music has affected his fans. “There have been a lot of Hank biographies already, and I didn’t want to do that,” Johnson said. “Instead it’s just a book about how (his) music sustains us.” The book is laden with accounts of the famous and the unknown, sharing how Williams has made an impact on their lives. A woman who listens to Williams on the radio uses his songs to learn English. Williams’ lost daughter Jett, who was born after his death and only discovered her heritage when she was 20, cherishes the legacy of the father she never knew. These are the characters of the

“

I love all kinds of music ... but Hank Williams, in particular, has always been something I return to again and again.” —Rheta Grimsley Johnson AUTHOR AND COLUMNIST

book, the characters of life, and Williams is but the soundtrack to which they dance. Although the event has numerous sponsors, Johnson’s book signing was specifically organized by the Mystic

» See HANK, 6

Auburn professor leads research team in classifying Auburn Tiger Trapdoor Spider

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It didn’t take a bite from a radioactive spider to give Jason Bond, biological sciences professor and director of the Auburn University Museum of Natural History, the superpowers of thorough research, diligent work ethic and speedy fieldwork results. Since his arrival at Auburn in December, Bond led a research team through the process of classifying a new arachnid species found in his own neighborhood by fellow researcher Charles Ray. Myrmekiaphila tigris, also known as the Auburn Tiger Trapdoor Spider, was recently discovered in the community of Grove Hill in Auburn. This May, open access journal “Zookeys” published the study on Myrmekiaphila tigris. The investigation began after Ray brought Bond an unfamiliar spider specimen to examine. After careful inspection, this spider was determined to be different from others of its kind due to its pedipalps, which is how male spiders transfer sperm. This specific anatomical structure varies between spider species and is used for identification. The research team continued to harvest spiders. According to Bond, several males were found in a swimming pool in Grove Hill, but the females were harder to locate because female trapdoor spiders do not leave their subterranean burrows. Instead, as their name reflects, they wait for their prey. Chris Hamilton and Nicole Harrison, both Auburn graduate students, assisted in finding burrows and obtaining female specimens.

By February, the team had described both sexes and completed the genetic component in their research analysis. After finishing the documentation in April, the work was peer reviewed before its publication in May, a process totaling about five months. According to Bond, how structures evolve and why species are different explains the female spiders’ selective mating process. “The females don’t look very different,” Bond said. “It’s the males that are quite distinct.” He compares the process to birds, saying that the more brightly colored male is most often the one that females mate with because he is perceived as being of higher quality, meaning his genes are superior to his other less vibrantly feathered competitors. Females select their mate based on not only the physical attributes that make the males more attractive, but ensure the successful continuation of these superior traits into the genetic code of their offspring. “Females are driving these differences,” Bond said. “Male genital structures are evolving very rapidly due to the process of speciation and the consequence of females selecting these traits.” Bond explained that while the spider is not harmful to humans, its role as a predator to other creatures is necessary. “Spiders are what we generally term an essential ecosystem service,” Bond said. “If you eliminated all spiders we would very quickly be overrun with all sorts of insects

» See SPIDER, 6

Community 6

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HANK

SPIDER

» From 5

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

A lack of toxicity lets Bond hold the spider during study.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

and other things we probably wouldn’t find particularly pleasant.” According to the 2011 State of Observed Species Report released Jan. 18 by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University, there were 19,232 recently discovered species in the latest calendar year accounted for. However, Bond said it is rare to find a new species in an area like Auburn that has “been worked over pretty well, where there’s a lot of people living.” Bond said 1.8 million species have been named, but there are still estimates of 30 million species left undiscovered. “Humans are destroying a lot of biodiversity and species from habitat destruction and a lack of a taxonomic education,” Bond said. “There just aren’t a lot of folks who are trained these days to describe new species.”

Order of East Alabama Fiction Writers, a local group of writers who have come to know Johnson over the years. “We’re one of the sponsors, and we went around and got the other sponsors who are participating,” said Marian Carcache, member of the Mystics. Group member Gail Langley said her support of Rheta is not just because of their friendship, but also her writing ability. “She’s a wonderful wordsmith and she charms everyone with her writing,” Langley said. “Rheta is one of the more famous writers to graduate from Auburn.” For Johnson, however, the event is all about Williams. She’s simply happy to have gotten the opportunity to write about her muse. Johnson compares Williams’ music to vitamins, saying that the older she gets, the more

she needs his old-time ballads. “I’ve enjoyed this, especially the writing of the book, because it gave me an excuse to listen to Hank in the name of duty every night,” Johnson said. The event is free and will also showcase music by Wiregrass and Helen Boudreaux, another Williams fan. Wiregrass is a local bluegrass band and Helen Boudreaux, another friend of Rheta’s, will bring her cajun-country musical stylings to the stage. Attendance for the event is free, and popcorn, peanuts and beer will be sold at the event. Johnson is scheduled to read excerpts of her book at 4 p.m. The bands are scheduled to play before and after the reading with event officially starting at 3:30 p.m. After the reading, Johnson will remain onhand to sell and sign copies of the book for her fans. The festival is scheduled to end at 6 p.m.

Local contractor repairs houses, hopes Andrew Yawn COMMUNITY EDITOR

For Willie Jones, it’s all about helping people. After moving to New York to learn the construction trade, Jones moved back to his native home of Auburn three years ago to start the Southeast Alabama Minority Association, a non-profit contracting company. His company is far from average, however. The idea of SEAMA is to provide a community benefit to help the less fortunate members of Auburn’s community. Like most contractors, Jones and his organization look to provide repair work on privately owned houses. The catch is that they provide this work for free, so long as the materials are provided. In this case, the organization focuses primarily on elderly or retired citizens who need repairs, but lack the financial means to do so. “Here in this area, a lot of elder people don’t have the money to fix up their home,” Jones said. “They’re just barely hanging on to it and (they ask themselves), ‘Should I eat or should I fix a window?’ or ‘Should I eat or should I

freeze?’” In addition to providing aid to the elderly, Jones also looks to support the youth. While locals lacking a high school diploma or job experience may have a problem finding a job elsewhere, Jones said he relishes the opportunity for his company to act as a stepping stone to a career in contracting. Jones commands a paid staff, and he also seeks to train young men and women who wish to learn his trade on-site, but can’t afford trade schools in construction and home repair. “I want to train them … so eventually one day, they’ll be able to go out on their own and make a living for themselves and their family,” Jones said. “All men should be equal and share the pie, and no man should have to eat the crumbs.” Jones also sees it as a chance to keep kids out of trouble. “Here I heard that two boys last week were shooting at each other, but do they realize that if they had something to do, they wouldn’t be shooting at each other?” Jones said. “I get them in my class training them, and that way we know they’re not getting into trouble.” Although the name is misleading,

Jones said his organization does not restrict who it hires or helps. “We’re not looking for minorities alone. I’ll train anybody, because the way I look at it, we’re all God’s children,” Jones said. “I don’t care what color your skin is. You’ve got feelings just like everybody else; you bleed just like everybody else.” To train them, Jones draws on more than 30 years of experience from his time spent in New York. While in New York, Jones bounced from city to city gaining experience in a variety of areas. After building motors for General Electric in the 1970s, he switched into the contracting business learning everything from roofing to winterizing to laying foundations. Now Jones said he wants to get back to his roots and take on a more philanthropic role in the community. One particular goal of his reaches beyond mere repair work. “I want to make a difference here in Alabama,” Jones said. “If this organization takes off … I’m going to build a building so if someone is elderly or homeless or down and out, we’ll be able to give them a (place to stay).”

DANIELLE LOWE / PHOTO EDITOR

Willie Jones founded Southeast Alabama Minority Association with the hope of bettering the community one job at a time.

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Sports Thursday, May 17, 2012

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Sports

CONTRIBUTED BY TODD VAN EMST

Sophomore Daniel Stringfellow takes practice swings in Auburn. The Tigers will join a 14-team field in the NCAA Greensboro Regional on Thursday.

Men’s golf grabs top seed in NCAA Regional John Holtrop SPORTS EDITOR

No. 3 men’s golf enters the NCAA Greensboro Regional with the top seed in a 14-team field. The regional will be held at the Grandover Resort East Course in Greensboro, N.C. on Thursday, May 17-19. Of the 14 teams in the Greensboro Regional, four are ranked in the top 25. “It is going to be a tough field,” said coach Nick Clinard. “I know that Duke has played at Grandover, but I don’t think that is much of an advantage. At the bottom of the field is SMU who has played well all year. Texas Tech is the No. 8 seed and they have already beaten us this year. We need to go out there and play with fire and stay on top of these teams.” Auburn has made a NCAA Region-

al in the past three years under Clinard. “For the guys that have played in one of these regionals, they know what they are all about,” Clinard said. “We have to come into our own skin and take it like any other tournament. We play to win and that is what we plan on doing in Greensboro.” Clinard said his team is ignoring the top seed and looking to compete, regardless of predetermined ratings. “It doesn’t mean much to us. It is always nice to be put in the spotlight with the top seed, but it is all the same,” Clinard said. “It doesn’t matter what seed you are, the ultimate goal is to go out there and win.” Red shirt junior Blayne Barber leads the Tigers with a 70.66 stroke average, the lowest of all active SEC players and lowest single-season average since Buddy Gardner in 1976.

“

We have to come into our own skin and take it like any other tournament. We play to win and that’s what we plan on doing in Greensboro.” —Nick Clinard HEAD COACH

Barber said with teams like The University of Nevada, Las Vegas and The University of Florida make it tough to win, but it comes down to

how well the team plays, regardless of the opponents. “The biggest thing is to focus on winning this weekend and ignoring the next round,” Barber said. “Playing well is a result of the effort that we put in today, and it is more than just a singular effort.” “Winning in golf is everyone playing their best at the same time. We have had some great preparation this past week or so, playing at the Auburn University Golf Club and FarmLinks in Sylacauga. We are ready for anything.” Junior Dominic Bozzelli will be playing in his second NCAA Regional for the Tigers and said he plans to use last year’s loss for motivation. “Years past do not do much for us,” Bozzelli said. “We all need to play better because everyone else will. It comes down to just taking care of

business.” Bozzelli has won twice this year, back-to-back at the U.S. Collegiate and the Gator Invitational. Bozzelli said he will use the positives and negatives from those tournaments to prepare him for the Greensboro Regional. “Drawing from experience and looking back at what we have done, we can use that to help our game,” Bozzelli said. “I need to get my swing ready, as well as everyone else. We are all pretty excited to go in there and prove to everyone what we can do.” The top five teams and the lowest scoring individual player not on a top five team will qualify for the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., May 29-June 3.

Two teammates, friends earn SEC honors Justin Lee WRITER

CONTRIBUTED BY TODD VAN EMST

Freshman outfielder Branndi Melero (top) ands senior shortstop Lauren Guzman (right) were selected to the SEC All-Freshman team and the AllSEC second team respectively. Both honors were selected by SEC coaches. Auburn will face Houston in the NCAA Austin Regional for the first time in school history. The game is set for Friday, May 18 at 1 p.m.

One is right-handed, the other is left-handed. One plays infield, the other plays outfield. One came to Auburn from Miami, while the other is from Canyon County, Calif. They may appear to have differences between them, but senior shortstop Lauren Guzman and freshman outfielder Branndi Melero have much in common. Guzman was voted to the All-SEC second team by the league’s coaches, while Melero was named to the conference’s All-Freshman team. “I am very happy for Lauren and Branndi,” said coach Tina Deese in a press release. “(Guzman) has had a very good season, both defensively and offensively, and I know this means a lot to her.” Deese also commended Melero for her accomplishments. “We are all happy for Branndi,” Deese said. “It’s not easy for a freshman to come in and have a lot of success in this league.” Both Melero and Guzman echoed their coach’s sentiments. “It’s a huge honor,” Melero said. “It was so exciting, because I was really like ‘I’m coming here, I want to set goals’ and in getting that, it was the most amazing feeling ever.” For Guzman, the honor represents a culmination of years of hard work. “It feels good because I worked hard,” Guzman said. “Not only this year, but I worked hard all four years that I was here.” Other than the awards and accolades, Guzman and Melero have found themselves sharing a strong, common bond. “Since Branndi first got here, I took her under my wing like a little sister,” Guzman said. What started as an act of senior leadership developed into a friendship.

“

We’ve only played together for a year, but we were able to figure each other out quickly” —Branndi Melero FRESHMAN OUTFIELDER

“I met Lauren on my official visit out here,” Melero said. “She pretty much took me under her wing and showed me around the school, introduced me to people and we both are Hispanic so we were able to connect very well.” The teammates’ bond have also found its way on to the field. “We’ve only played together for a year, but we were able to figure each other out quickly,” Melero said. “We speak Spanish to each other on the field, so it’s easy for us to be like ‘Be here, be here.’” Even though their first and only regular season as teammates has ended, the pair will make one last run together as Auburn travels to Austin, Texas, for the first round of the NCAA Regionals at 1 p.m. on Friday. Regardless of how Guzman’s senior postseason turns out, her influence will remain on the Plains for years to come through a young freshman. “I guess I pretty much follow what she does,” Melero said. “She’s a big role model to me. She’s an amazing athlete, and just seeing her play, in a sense, makes me want to play just the way she plays, just like her.”

Sports 8

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Upcoming Auburn Sporting Events Thursday 17

Friday 18

Saturday 19

Baseball

Florida 6 p.m.

Florida 1 p.m.

Men’s Golf

NCAA Greensboro Regional

Softball

NCAA Austin Regional vs. Houston 1 p.m.

Tuesday 22

Wednesday 23

Thursday 24

SEC Tournament Birmingham, TBA

Track & Field Baseball Men’s Golf Softball

NCAA Super Regionals TBA

Track & Field

NCAA Preliminaries All Day

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