The Auburn Plainsman A Spirit That Is Not Afraid www.theplainsman.com
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Vol. 118, Issue 3, 18 Pages
How has your life changed?
Auburn remembers 9/11
Natalie Yarid Associate News Editor
Ten years ago on Auburn’s campus, everything stopped. “When we heard the news, every class stopped,” said Napo Monasterio, 2001 editor of The Plainsman. “Everyone and everything just stopped. I remember coming into the newsroom and everyone was gathered around the TV in complete shock.” Sept. 11, 2001, was a day most remember vividly and will never forget. Susan Brinson, professor of communication and journalism, remembers the day clearly. “Students came to the department to watch the TV, professors were in their offices watching, and everyone stopped everything,” Brinson said.
Students were intrigued by what was going on, and many were asking questions and beginning to realize how important this event was in the history of our country, Brinson said. The next four days, coverage of 9/11 dominated television sets. Brinson chose to talk about the event instead of ignoring it. She decided to use the experience as a learning tool in the classroom. “Let’s make this an educational moment,” Brinson said. “Look at the information they are giving us, how much of it is going to be wrong because they are trying to talk about it as it is happening.” Students in all departments grew in different ways after the attack. “For us, it changed the
way we treated journalism,” Monasterio said. “It made us grow up quickly. We learned how to cover stories from the way news channels covered the event.” Not only did journalism students grow by dissecting the media, but engineering students also learned from analyzing the makeup of the buildings. Brinson said some engineering professors used this as a time to teach students about the structure of the buildings and how they crumbled to the ground. While students and professors grew from an educational standpoint, some were emotionally troubled. “First, I was devastated and heartbroken for all of the people who worked in the towers. They had no
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When we heard the news, every class stopped. Everyone and everything just stopped.” —Napo Monasterio
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2001 editor of the Auburn Plainsman
From one end of the city to another, there was a sense of pride for our country.” —Bill Ham
» See Remember, A2
Mayor
I had an uncle who was working at the Pentagon and his office got blown up. I think it brought the country together—it gave us something to fight for. Jordan Korte, senior, geology There’s been a heightened sense of insecurity in the nation. For me personally I see no imminent threat. Brian Ware, senior, political science and Spanish I think the biggest impact was the economic impact—how it brought us into the Middle East. It made us more unified and maybe slightly more racist. Travis Wheeler, junior, mechanical engineering I think it brought everybody closer together and made us more patriotic. It made me want to know more about other countries and open my eyes more. Walker Owens, freshman, civil engineering It’s had several detrimental effects, but the unforeseen positive ramifications were the coming together and national unity afterward. Bradley Brock, super senior, interior design I was living in Kuwait at the time. I didn’t understand the full impact until I got home. People got really scared really fast, but I think it’s overstepped its boundaries. Molly Hunt, sophomore, political science and psychology I was in fourth grade, so I didn’t really notice any change at first, until I came home and the TV was on the news instead of “General Hospital.” I think it made tensions run higher at first. Kathryn Hoerlein, sophomore, industrial and systems engineering
Contributed
After Sept. 11, 2001, the Auburn community mourns those lost during a candlelight vigil on Samford Lawn.
It makes us more aware that there are people out there who don’t care about us. The world doesn’t revolve around us. It’s definitely put us in our place. Erica Highland, sophomore, biology I think it made us more aware of everything. You have to consider everyone a stranger now, except your mom. You’re a lot more protective now. Marcy Smith, freshman, biomedical sciences It’s pulled everybody together. It put things in perspective. It made us appreciate the military more. Chad Caudle, freshman, business Oddly it brought us together a lot. At least for a few years there was a lot of patriotism in this country. Mary Goodwin, freshman, undeclared It made us more aware. It brought the world together in a sense. Kyle Keirsey, freshman, architecture I think it gave our country a different perspective of ourselves on an international stage. We’re still juggling how much of our civil rights do we need to give up to stay safe in a newly frightening world. Andrew Hill, sophomore, physics/computer science I think it made the country a lot more aware of the problems in the Middle East. You can’t really isolate yourself. Nothing’s really guaranteed. David Rhodes, freshman, English I think it changed the way the country thinks of itself as a secure place. Before 9/11 there wasn’t this underlying tension that something may happen. Kent Games, first-year doctoral student, kinesiology
Students describe how their lives are different since 9/11
Ground zero photographer recalls the day that changed his career, life Kate Jones Assistant Intrigue Editor
Gary Suson, official ground zero photographer, doesn’t want to shoot photography anymore. He said he became intrigued by photography at an early age while living on a horse farm in Illinois, taking photos of sunsets and horses galloping in the fields. Suson was pushed by his mother, Sharon, to develop his craft, and at 17 he won the Kodak Medallion, the highest award for photography a high school student can win. “I learned at a young age the power a camera can yield, most
importantly to educate future generations about the mistakes that mankind can and often does make,” Suson said. His winning photography was flown to New York and displayed in the World Trade Center. “It was an omen of things to come,” Suson said. Suson said he never saw his photos displayed in the World Trade Center. “Never did I imagine I would one day wind up documenting the aftermath of the attacks of where my first winning images were displayed,” he said. Tuesday, Suson spoke to Au-
burn University in a packed Student Center ballroom to tell his story of being the only photographer granted access to document the recovery efforts of 9/11. Collier Tynes, SGA senator-atlarge, felt Suson could convey the tragedy to an audience that was in elementary and middle school the day of the attacks. “I think having a photographer come speak to our students is going to be a very good visual aide for what happened that day,” said Tynes, junior in public relations. “Just a very neat and different perspective that will educate our students on what happened that
day.” On 9/11 Suson captured photos of the burning towers from the roof of his photography studio building. In the days following, Suson rode around the perimeter of the site with policemen, photographing what he saw. He also started the website www.septembereleven.net so the public could be informed of what was going on in New York City. Suson also began advocating free health care for firefighters suffering from fatigue and other health problems since conducting the recovery efforts.
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Through the charity work, Suson met Rudy Sanfilippo through the Fire Department New York union. Sanfilippo asked about Suson’s website and a picture of a Christmas tree, which was hidden from the public, that had been erected for the victims. After a meeting with Sanfilippo, in which he gave strict rules about sharing his photos with the public, Suson became the official ground zero photographer, an unsalaried position. Suson said the firefighters conducting the recovery efforts were » See Photographer, A2
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The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Crime Reports for Sept. 1 – Sept. 5, 2011
DUI Arrests in the City of Auburn Sept. 1 – SEPT. 3, 2011
Sept. 1 — Roxanna Court Burglary of residence reported. One TV, one set of binoculars, one revolver, one 9mm pistol, two rifles and one 20-gauge shotgun.
■ Alexander Y. Jome, 23, of Fayetteville, N.C. Genelda Avenue at Toomer Street Sept. 1, 1:48 a.m. ■ Graham M. Roderick, 22, of Huntsville North Dean Road Sept. 1, 1:56 a.m. ■ William H. Watts Jr., 51, of Birmingham North College Street at East Magnolia Avenue Sept. 1, 2:18 a.m.
Sept. 1 — Mell Street Theft of property reported. One purse with keys, driver’s license, military ID, two credit cards and one student ID.
■ Andrew C. Tuck, 19, of Bethesda, Md. South College Street Sept. 1, 2:33 a.m.
Sept. 1 — Lee Road 137 Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One GPS.
■ Danny Williams, 47, of Greenville South College Street at Technology Parkway Sept. 1, 9:14 p.m.
Sept. 1 — Lee Road 12 Theft of property reported. Custompainted aftermarket rims.
■ Joel V. Payne, 22, of Bakersville, Calif. North Dean Road Sept. 2, 11:53 p.m.
Sept. 2 — Kimberly Drive Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One cellphone and two pairs of sunglasses.
■ Terrance A. Ratliff, 22, of Hopewell, Va. Shug Jordan Parkway at South College Street Sept. 3, 9:58 p.m.
Sept. 3 — East Longleaf Drive
Burglary of residence reported. One laptop and $70.
subwoofer and one biology textbook.
Sept. 4 — South Gay Street Theft of property reported. One Macbook.
Sept. 5 — South College Street Theft of property reported. One Volvo key, one dorm key, one mailbox key, two wallets, driver’s license, student ID and student Ignited card.
Sept. 4 — West Longleaf Drive Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One digital camera, one pair of sunglasses and one bottle of cologne. Sept. 4 — Miller Avenue Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One GPS and one iPod adaptor.
Sept. 5 — Lee Road 10 Burglary of residence reported. One 42” TV and one Xbox console.
— Reports provided by Auburn Department of Public Safety
Sept. 4 — West Longleaf Drive Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One purse, one student ID, one debit card and $40. Sept. 4 — East Longleaf Drive Breaking and entering of a vehicle reported. One iPod Touch, one 12”
Locals hold protest, vigil against House Bill 56 Alison McFerrin News Editor
Some held umbrellas. Some held signs. But they all held one thing in common—a view in opposition to House Bill 56. The new immigration legislation from the Alabama legislature involves multiple new restrictions, such as prohibiting anyone from transporting or helping anyone without documentation. It’s this particular restriction that brought Christine Shumock to a vigil held in opposition of the bill Tuesday night. “To practice my religion—which, all the great religions are religions of compassion— … I’m supposed to help the stranger,” said Shumock, who carried a sign bearing those words from Matthew 25:35. “I think this is totally unfair.” The vigil was sponsored by the Standing on the Side of Love Alliance and the Auburn Ministerial Association. Three individuals read statements, including a proposed resolution for the city council. “Fundamentally for me, it’s ludicrous to talk about
Photographer » From A1
standoffish at first. “I thought, well, why don’t I show these fireman who I really am,” Suson said. “I’m a caring person.” Suson said he began to shoot and print portraits of firefighters working at ground zero at his own expense. “That’s why I went broke,” Suson said. Suson said by giving firefighters portraits of themselves doing recovery work, they began to take him in. “Slowly they starting realizing, ‘You know, he’s a good guy, he’s not a scum bag,’” Suson said. “And they also saw that my photos were not winding up in the New York papers.” Suson told touching stories of firefighters and victim’s families through his descriptive photos.
Maria Iampietro / Photo Editor
A group of singers leads protestors in “This Land is Your Land” at a protest against the new immigration law. illegal and legal in the terms in which we are doing,” said Jennifer Brooks, one of the speakers for the evening. “That’s not to say we shouldn’t have immigration laws … but the way that we’ve chosen to do this seems, to me, very destructive.” For some, the implications of the legislation hit even closer to home. “I look illegal; I know that,” said Yasser Gowayed, who is of Egyptian descent. “Every time I go from home to work, I’ll be stopped by police … How long do you think I would take that before I leave the city?” After the vigil and protest, many in attendance
went to the City Council meeting, where several stood to speak during the citizens’ communications portion. “What happens in this case, I think, is a clash between moral law and civil law,” said Richard Penaskovic, philosophy professor and officer of the Auburn Ministerial Association. “There’s a higher law that transcends the civil law, and I think that’s exactly the case in this antiimmigration law.” While those who attended the vigil and spoke at the City Council meeting were vocal about their views, some members of the council were less willing to take
a stand. “One thing I’ve learned early on in this council is not to make emotional decisions,” said Councilman Gene Dulaney. “From what I’ve read, there are things about the law that do concern me from an enforcement standpoint, but at the same time there are impacts to our community from a national standpoint … For me personally, I want to have the opportunity to look at those before I make a decision as to whether I support it or not.” While Federal Judge Sharon Blackburn will make a ruling on the legislation soon, those opposed to it will keep speaking out.
Chelsea Berra and Alex Medved sat in the front row Tuesday night. “You could actually see his emotions,” said Medved, junior in marine biology. Berra, junior in biomedical sciences, said she liked that she was able to make eye contact. “That’s a big thing for me when somebody’s speaking because I can see someone’s emotion in their eyes,” Berra said. Medved agreed. “It was him and his story right in front of us, nothing else,” Medved said. In May 2002, Suson was finally permitted to release his photos to the public. Post-9/11 Suson is a changed man. Suson attempted returning to photography, shooting for Playboy in the fashion department from 2003– 05. He quit because he wasn’t the Gary Suson of
pre-9/11. “I never really shot again,” Suson said. “I don’t plan to shoot again.” A year ago Suson was approached by individuals asking if he would like to speak about 9/11. After some encouragement from his mother, Suson agreed. “This is my very first speaking engagement working with them,” Suson said. “But it is very special to me. I will never forget this day, Sept.6, as long as I live.” Suson said his mother passed away in December from ovarian cancer, and Sept. 6 was her birthday. She would have been 73. “I am here speaking to you today because my mom talked me into it,” Suson said. “Just as she talked me into shooting photography, because she did, I get to share all these stories with you and with the world.”
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an extra sense of patriotism of American pride. It doesn’t matter where you are from, right now you are here and you are one of them,” Monasterio said. People came together and gained a renewed sense of pride for the country, said Bill Ham, mayor of Auburn. “From one end of the city to another, there was a sense of renewed patriotism,” Ham said. On the 10th anniversary of the devastating attacks, stop and reflect.
In the “Shop on South College brings paganism to the Bible Belt” article of the Aug. 25 edition, it was incorrectly stated that the tobacco named Wildman Steve was named after the owner. It is actually named after a local Internet radio station owner. We regret the error.
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gether,” Brooks said. “You’ll never know who’s out there to help you do that until you stand up and try to find out.”
In the article “Ticket system fails student’s demands” of the Sept. 1 issue of The Auburn Plainsman, it was incorrectly stated that the mini-season football package includes tickets to Utah State and Florida . The mini-season football package only includes Mississippi State, Florida Atlantic, Ole Miss and Samford. We regret the error.
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idea how many people had been killed,” Brinson said. Weeks later, reports showed that nearly 3,000 people had been killed in the attacks. Many families lost loved ones, but students at Auburn lost something as well. “Students have a sense of security when they come to Auburn, and a lot of people lost their sense of security and innocence,”
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Monasterio said. The losses the nation sufferes on that day are difficult to contemplate, but some believe it is necessary. “I think it is an important thing to look back on,because it was a significant event and we are still trying to cope with the changes that took place,” Brinson said. The calamity also brought a glimpse of light to America. “Being from Spain, at that point we all became Americans. It gives you
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UPC unleashes music discord Local bands compete for prize money at Battle of the Bands Bianca Seward Writer
Rebecca Croomes / Assistant Photo Editor
Aubie pals around with students in the Student Center, keeping in touch with fans in his signature laid-back style.
Aubie joins best mascot race Robert E. Lee Assistant Campus Editor
Auburn is once again in the running for national recognition. Aubie is competing in the 2011 Capital One National Mascot of the Year competition, a 12-week head-tohead brawl against 15 other collegiate mascots. The top eight competitors with the best record at the end of the season will be challenged to a bracket-style, single-elimination competition to determine the winner. When asked about his thoughts on participating in this year’s challenge, Aubie was ecstatic. “It’s going to be great,” said a friend of Aubie. “Another chance to show the nation how awesome my Auburn family is.” Now in its 10th year, the competition allows fans to vote for their favorite mas-
cot based on their performances throughout the season. Each mascot participating in the competition will be awarded $5,000 to help fund their mascot program, with the ultimate winner receiving a $20,000 scholarship toward their mascot program. The winner will be deemed Mascot of the Year Jan. 2 during the Capital One Bowl. Aubie has competed in six of the prior competitions, but never reached the pinnacle of the event. “I want to win, of course,” a friend of Aubie said. “Even though I’ve won the most (Universal Cheerleaders Association) national titles, I’ve never won the Capital One Mascot Challenge. I really want to bring it home this year.” This year’s competition will feature never-before-
told stories of each mascot in online videos, available on the Capital One Bowl website, to help fans determine their pick. Chris O’Neil, director of the digital and public relations campaign for Capital One, explained the difficult selection process. “Several factors were considered: how Aubie interacts with the fans, his creativity and passion, his signature move, previous recognition and awards, as well as national recognition,” O’Neil said. Fans are encouraged to vote online at CapitalOneBowl.com or on the official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MascotChallenge. Regular-season voting began Aug. 29 and continues weekly through Nov. 21. A friend of Aubie said he is looking forward to competing against a few partic-
ular mascots this season. “I would say the Oregon Duck, but I’ve already beaten him, so Big Blue from Old Dominion,” a friend of Aubie said. “He’s last year’s champ.” O’Neil said a competition of this scale brings national awareness to Auburn’s doorstep for the duration of the competition. “Capital One has been honoring these unsung heroes who work hard to cheer on their schools and generate fan enthusiasm,” O’Neil said. “This competition shines light on them and the University as well.” With the start of a new season, Aubie believes being the returning national champions means higher expectations. “I’ve got a target on my back, but that’s OK because I’ve got the Auburn family behind me,” a friend of Aubie said. “War Eagle!”
The rumbling of RVs rolling in for game day won’t be the only source of vibrations on the Plains as the University Program Council hosts its third Battle of the Bands. The event will be held Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. Brandon Crocker, a musician in the Atlanta area and master of ceremonies, will take the stage to introduce the bands. “He will be playing music and talking about upcoming events for the students,” said Katie Gallahue, junior in pre-nursing and UPC director of special projects. “We are pretty excited because it’s our first year with a professional emcee, and it should make things run smoothly.” Hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and a drink will be free for the first 250 students on Cater Lawn. This year’s battle will incorporate new methods for judging the crowd’s opinion of the bands. “We are going to have a large projection screen where we will show the fan favorites,” said Anne Smead, senior in public administration and
UPC president. “People can text their favorites to a polling service, and the answers will be projected onto the screen so that we can give live feedback.” The event is free to students and the public. Bands will be given 25 minutes for setup, sound check and performance. “It’s a great opportunity for students to stop by and see a showcase of local bands,” said Brandon Whitman, junior in industrial engineering. Bands will compete for cash prizes awarded to the top three places, as well as a fourth prize for crowd favorite. Competitors will be allowed to play cover songs, but each must perform one song of their own to be judged. “Students should come out to the Battle of the Bands to support their friends and see the competition,” Smead said. Gallahue said planning for the event began in spring with booking the location, ordering lighting and planning all of the publicity for the event. “We have been working on the event since last semester, and we are excited about the new additions like the emcee and the live-polling service,” Gallahue said. “It’s an awesome way to spend Friday night for both the bands and the students. You get a night of free entertainment and food, and I mean, who doesn’t love free food?”
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Thursday, September 8, 2011
Professor brings Italy to life Anna Claire Conrad Staff Writer
Contributed / Tyler Glick, publicist for Christie Leigh
Christie Leigh tailgates with the Tiger Paws at last year’s game against Georgia.
Author’s tour stops on Plains Hayley Blair Associate Campus Editor
The wonders and rigors of SEC football are laid bare in Christie Leigh’s new book “Gridiron Belles.” Though the book has been published for less than a month, Leigh is already busy gathering information for a second edition on her SEC tailgating tour this fall. Leigh will be sponsoring a tailgate at Auburn twice during her tour, once Sept. 10 for the Mississippi State game and again for the Iron Bowl. “I’m looking forward to the Iron Bowl,” Leigh said. “It’s been a good year back and forth building each other up. I think both of those schools have really contributed to the other in very positive ways, so I’m really excited to see both of those teams play.” Leigh said the best part of the game will be seeing how fans interact with each other after the
collaboration that has gone on between the two schools this year, such as tornado relief. “I’m really ready to be a part of the crowd and see how the crowd interacts this year versus last year when it was more of a spiteful rivalry,” Leigh said. Leigh has been to Auburn many times while gathering the material for her book, and on her trips she gleaned information from Auburn students and alumni such as Kelly Haywood. “Tailgating is a great opportunity to spend time with people you don’t see as much during the winter, summer or spring,” Haywood said. “I think Christie’s book is great in that it shows other women that there are others out there who have similar interests.” Amy Wilkinson, a representative of Swoozie’s, the company sponsoring Leigh’s tour, said she thinks the upcoming tail-
gate at Auburn will be a great opportunity to get more information about Auburn’s gameday and tailgating traditions. “I think a lot of the new information will come from these tailgates that we go to along the way this season,” Wilkinson said. “We’re just looking forward to meeting the fans, seeing their tailgates and kind of creating that information as we go.” Although Leigh is holding her own tailgate during Saturday’s game, she will also be looking for anything interesting during her stay in Auburn to highlight in her book. “I’ll be doing a lot of walking around and checking out other people’s tailgates,” Leigh said. “We’ll have our own tailgate set up, but I’ll also be kind of jumping around to visit with the people who have contacted me and met me and wanted me to stop by their tailgate to see how they do things.”
There’s a new professor on campus who has brought a little piece of Italy with her to the Plains. Originally from Naples, Italy, Guiseppina De Masi, professor of elementary Italian and introduction to Italian culture in English, graduated in Rome with a degree in political science. Her specialty is in radio, television and film in the department of communication. She obtained her Ph. D. from the University of California in Los Angeles. Before moving to the Plains, De Masi worked as director of the Italian language department at the University of Indiana in Bloomington. She was in charge of lectures for the department, as well as 24 graduate teaching assistants. “I was ready to move on,” De Masi said. “Auburn University came across my attention because of its mission statement. The part that says the University is interested in traditional and nontraditional students fascinated me.” She said she appreciates how diligently Auburn works to better its community. “It was a completely new experience to come work in a department with so many languages within it,” De Masi said. “I have always taught in an Italian department. I love having so much diversity in this department.” De Masi said she has grasped the Southern hos-
Alex Sager / Associate Photo Editor
De Masi says she sees similarities between Auburn and her home in southern Italy. pitality she heard about before moving to Dixie. “Everyone here is so nice, De Masi said. “They welcomed me right away. It reminds me of when I lived in southern Italy.” The feeling that students are genuinely interested in their classes is also apparent to De Masi. “My first goal is to teach my students a structure and method to studying,” De Masi said. “That way they can excel always. I also try to always be passionate in my classes. If my students see how excited I am, they will get excited about the class, too.” She often thinks back on her collegiate experience to develop efficient teaching methods . “Now, this is very Italian, but I personally believe that
if they do not feel you, and if they only see you without establishing a connection, the students will not learn,” De Masi said. Her students appreciate her engaging teaching style. “Professor De Masi doesn’t just sit at the front of the classroom and lecture us,” said Jordan Brown, sophomore in pre-medicine. “She gets really involved. She encourages us to learn from one another and only speak Italian during class. It’s hard, especially since we just started, but it’s worth it.” Reaching her students is important to De Masi. “I want these students to understand that I am there for them,” De Masi said. “This is true, and it is not a fake thing because I love what I do.”
Sustainability prime interest for proactive campus talks Shanetta Pendleton Staff Writer
Campus Conversations, formerly known as the Green Lunch Series, kicked off Wednesday in the Student Center. Sponsored by the Office of Sustainability, Campus Conversations is an event designed to provide students, faculty, administration and the community with a forum to discuss important social, economic and environmental issues ranging from a local to global scale. “The purpose of Campus Conversations is to provide a space where the community can come together to learn about and explore important issues,” said Jen Morse, communication and outreach coordinator for the Office of Sustainability. Unlike the Green Lunch Series, the traditional format of which featured a
“
The purpose of Campus Conversations is to provide a space where the community can come together to learn about and explore important issues.” —Jen Morse Communication and outreach coordinator, office of sustainability
presenter followed by a question-and-answer session, Campus Conversations plans to take a different approach to facilitate more open discussion among the audience members. “Each week, invited speakers will provide a
context for group learning by giving a 15–20 minute presentation followed by structured small-group and large-group conversations around key issues and questions relevant to the topic,” Morse said. Auburn University was listed as one of the most environmentally responsible universities for the second year in a row by “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges.” Topics will be sustainability-related, and the forum will cover issues such as transportation, food systems, energy, social justice, building standards and ecosystem resilience. The Office of Sustainability will also be responding to topic requests from participants. “These conversations are intended for everyone interested, and no prior knowledge of the topic is required,” Morse said.
Bookstore announces winner of annual spirit video contest Rebecca Croomes Assistant Photo Editor
A 75-second scene won Brock Hanson, junior in radio, television and film, a pair of season football tickets from the Auburn University Bookstore. The tickets were the grand prize in the bookstore’s second annual spirit video contest. “Like every Auburn person, I was pumped at the opportunity to win season tickets,” Hanson said. Hanson said when he heard about the contest, he grabbed his roommate and two other friends and began filming.
In Hanson’s winning video, two young men meet a friend at Toomer’s Corner, preparing to make their way to Jordan-Hare for the big game. To their dismay, the friend is only wearing a plain white shirt and khaki shorts. After some serious discussion, they convince him he needs a new look. He sprints to the Auburn University Bookstore, soon emerging dressed as an Auburn superfan. The videos were judged on originality, creativity and overall quality. Hanson said his idea for the movie was to showcase
how you can’t buy spirit from the bookstore, but you can buy ways to display it. Jennifer Edwards, Auburn University Bookstore marketing specialist, said Hanson’s film was impressive. “It looks like professional work,” Edwards said. “It was great.” The contest was started last year after some brainstorming about how the store could give away the tickets. The contest is open to the general public, and Edwards said the store will hold the contest again next season.
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Sudoku 8
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Community
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www.theplainsman.com
Thursday, September 8, 2011
‘Taste of America’ honors Sept. 11
Taking it to the
Kristen Oliver Writer
(legal) limit
Driving under the influence of alcohol is a dangerous act with serious consequences
“
Alison McFerrin News Editor
The problem is enhanced by two things: our college population, because it is a young, drinkingage population, but also, just by the … raw number of people that we have in town.” —Tommy Carswell
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auburn captain
A lot of people just feel like they can handle the situation ... They don’t think about the consequences.” —Jay Jones Lee county sheriff
About midweek, bars and clubs start hopping. But while some are in search of a good time, getting behind the wheel after a few drinks can turn a good night around in a hurry. “(Driving under the influence of alcohol) is a problem everywhere,” said Auburn police Captain Tommy Carswell, “but I think the problem is enhanced by two things: our college population, because it is a young, drinking age-population, but also, just by the ... raw number of people that we have in town.” Carswell said the incidence of DUI is highest between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. and on the weekends, and he thinks college students are a major contributor. “You have people that are becoming drinking age, you have people that have never been away from home and on their own before without direct parental supervision, and all that just really adds up,” Carswell said. Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said their office is committed to stopping impaired driving, which is often caused by people who are driving under the influ-
ence of alcohol. “A lot of people just feel like they can handle the situation,” Jones said. “They don’t think about the consequences.” Carswell said impaired driving is often the most obvious way to notice someone driving under the influence. A lack of judgment caused by alcohol levels, Carswell said, is what causes people to drive drunk—perhaps ignorant of how intoxicated they are. “We go out and test them, and we have training that tells us,” Carswell said. “This driver doesn’t have that same training.” In 2010 Auburn police officers made 406 DUI arrests. Of those, 265 were ages 18 to 25. “I think proportionately there may be a higher incidence in Lee County than another county without the same demographic that we have,” Jones said. Jones said he thinks people don’t realize the full extent of what can happen if they are driving drunk— both in terms of the penalties and the dangers. “You can cause an accident and seriously injure someone else or yourself or lose your life,” Jones said.
Community
FIRST CONVICTION
$600—$2,100
fine and/or imprisonment for one year or less and 90-day license suspension SECOND CONVICTION (within five-year period):
$1,100—$5,100
fine and imprisonment for one year or less (may include manual labor) and one-year license suspension THIRD CONVICTION
$2,100—$10,100
fine and imprisonment in the county or municipal jail for 60 days to one year and three-year license revocation FOURTH CONVICTION Class C felony
$4,100—$10,100 fine and imprisonment for 1–10 years
As Sept. 11 approaches, many Americans may be unsure of how to commemorate the anniversary of the tragedy that struck this country a decade ago. “It’s been 10 years, but we all remember where we were that day,” said Andrew Harris, owner of Mediterranean restaurant Maestro 2300. In honor of the anniversary, Harris is preparing a special evening at the restaurant. A Mediterranean restaurant might not be the most obvious place to hold a commemorative all-American wine dinner, but that’s exactly what Harris is doing for the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11. “We wanted to do it in remembrance of all the
people who have served our country,” Harris said. “The main reason we are doing this is to not forget those people, to remember them.” “This is the first time we’ve done anything like this,” said James Bramlett, chef at Maestro 2300, “so we’re really excited to pay tribute to all the people that lost their lives and the people who worked hard in the aftermath.” Harris described the mixed reactions he received from a potential dinner guest. “I had some guy tell me the other day that he didn’t want to come because he thought we were stepping over dead bodies,” Harris said. But Harris is not letting the negativity of others get in the way. » See America, A8
Committee postpones selection of trustees Jaimen Perez Writer
The Auburn trustee selection committee can’t decide who should run the school. The committee needs more time to consider candidates for its nine available positions. The announcement of the decision regarding the new trustees has been postponed until Feb. 1. A decision was expected by Sept. 30. Having a difficult time assessing the 169 candidates, the board of trustees has decided to send out a questionnaire to each nominee. “The committee just met on Tuesday,” said Brian Keeter, Auburn’s director of public affairs, “so the questionnaire is just being developed, and once it’s developed, the committee will set a deadline for the nominees to hand in the questionnaire.” According to Keeter, the questionnaire “is designed to assist members of the selection committee to gain a better understanding of the nominees’ qualifications.” The board expects to
distribute it within the next two weeks. “Once the answers are in from the nominees, the trustees will review them, along with any other information provided by the nominees,” Keeter said. He said this information would culminate in a decision announced before the Alabama Congress sometime in early February. “All of the candidates are still being considered, but not all for the same position,” Keeter said. Nine of the 12 trustee positions are available and must be filled in the candidate-selection process. Seven of the current trustees’ terms either have expired or will expire this year. Six are up for re-election. They are James W. Rane, District 3; Virginia N. Thompson, District 3-Lee County; Dwight L. Carlisle, District 4; Sarah B. Newton, District 7; Byron P. Franklin, District 9; and Charles D. McCrary, who holds an at-large seat. Robert E. Lowder, the sev» See Trustees, A8
Proposed plan to guide development Shanetta Pendleton Staff Writer
The City of Auburn will hold a public hearing at 5 p.m. Thursday in the City Council Chambers at 141 N. Ross St. to receive approval from the planning commission for CompPlan 2030. CompPlan 2030 is the comprehensive land-use plan mapping out the city’s plans for future development for the next 20 years. “This is really the city’s first land-use-based comprehensive plan,” said Forrest Cotton, planning director. “So in that plan we’ve set forth a number of new land-use classifications throughout the city. “Mo st imp or t ant ly we’ve provided great-
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Most importantly, we’ve provided greater specificity and certainty for future development plans in the city.” —Forrest Cotton auburn planning director
er specificity and certainty for future development plans in the city.” CompPlan 2030 was created over a two-year timespan by the city staff with input from other departments, includ» See CompPlan, A8
Contributed
The Texas Guitar Quartet is scheduled to perform Thursday at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
Texan group makes Auburn debut Sarah Cook Writer
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is scheduled to get a taste of Texas when the Texas Guitar Quartet, a premier guitar ensemble based out of Austin, performs Thursday. The quartet emerged as a graduate student group in
2005 and has been playing together ever since. “Our music includes a little bit of everything,” said quartet member Alejandro Montiel. “We’re mixing it up with some of the more traditional chamber pieces.” Each member has a different style and set of original arrangements, giv-
ing the quartet strength of sound and musical variety. “Overall it’s very entertaining and easy to follow, and I’m sure people will love it,” Montiel said. Events at which the quartet has performed include the Texas Music Festival in Houston and the 2011 Victoria Bach Festival, where
the group was the first guitar ensemble to ever be featured. The JCSM performance will be held in collaboration with the Chattahoochee Valley Guitar Society, a foundation that invites classical guitarists to Au» See Guitar, A8
Community A8
CompPlan » From A7
ing public works, water resource management, parks and recreation, office of the city manager, economic development and public safety. Citizens have also had a chance to voice their opinions on the CompPlan 2030 the past two years during public hearings and on the City of Auburn website. Public hearings held by the planning commission and City Council will pro-
Guitar » From A7
burn/Opelika two to three times a year. “I think it’s a great cultural experience,” said Colleen Bourdeau, JCSM marketing and events manager. “You’re getting the chance
America » From A7
“We don’t want to forget what happened that day,” Harris said. “This is to stir everybody’s memory.” The major highlights of the evening are not just the food and wine, but also the special guests. Speakers include a variety of military personnel. Some served in Iwo Jima, while others are returning from tours in Afghanistan. One honored guest, Sgt. Charles Bush, is a regular server at Maestro 2300. “At first I thought I had to work it,” Bush said. “Andrew surprised me by saying I was an honored guest. It was the most surprising news.” As guests arrive, they will be served hors d’oeurves of pimento cheese over crackers with celery hearts. The dinner will consist of five
The Auburn Plainsman vide additional opportunities for public input and comments. If the plan is approved by the planning commission Thursday, it will then be proposed for adoption during the Oct. 4 council meeting. “If it’s adopted, then we will begin to work on proposed regulatory changes to our zoning ordinance,” Cotton said. “That’s how the comprehensive plan will be implemented, and we will go through a very deliberative work session
with the planning commission to accomplish that.” The future land-use plan map shown on the city’s website will be used as a guide for the desired uses of the land for officials, residents, city staff and the development community, and it will be used to evaluate the development proposals presented. “We have a continuous planning process, and we try to make sure it’s timely and responsive to the community,” said City Manager Charlie Duggan.
The comprehensive plan is to be implemented over multiple stages during the 20-year time period. “The clearest benefit is that it’s a plan that will provide guidance both for city staff and appointed officials, as well as the community about where we would like to see particular types of development and when, and that will guide investment as well as decision-making over the next 20 years,” said Justin Steinmann, the plan’s principal planner.
to hear professional guitarists perform for just a fraction of the cost of what it would be if it wasn’t sponsored by the museum and the Chattahoochee Valley Guitar Society.” In addition to performing for audiences around the world and in a multitude of
international guitar competitions, the quartet also includes a touring artist on the Texas Commission on the Arts roster. The TCA is a state agency that provides support for the arts and cultural industries. “We give support through
providing grants and technical assistance and promoting artists and arts events across Texas,” said Jim McMillan, deputy director for the TCA. Since there are few performing classical guitar quartets, there is an essence of novelty to the per-
courses accompanied by five wines. The wines come from five different states: New Mexico, Washington, Oregon, California and Alabama. All of the produce is American as well, including corn from Lee County, Cullman sweet potatoes and Georgia quail. “We’re trying to do a menu that reflects things from all over the country,” Bramlett said. The dinner is $85 a person, and Harris said he is confident it will be booked solid. “We want to show the best this country has to offer,” Harris said. Harris said he hopes the event and the special guest speakers will remind everyone of those who fought for our country as a result of the events of Sept. 11. “That’s what we need to do,” Harris said. “We never need to forget.”
Trustees » From A7
enth of the list, withdrew himself from the nomination process May 16. The other two seats to be filled have been vacant since 2009 and 2010. Since three-fourths of the trustee seats are up for grabs, the overall composition of the board could be drastically affected by the new trustees. The selection committee consists of two current trustees whose seats aren’t open, two representatives of Auburn’s alumni and Gov. Robert Bentley. The Alabama Senate must approve the chosen nominees The selection process has been controversial. Bentley issued a letter March 31 asking worthy candidates to apply for consideration by April 8.
By April 18, the selection committee had approved nine nominations to fill the seats. However, the Alabama Senate refused to take action on the nominations, arguing that the process had been too hurried. A civil lawsuit filed against the trustee selection committee claimed the nine nominations violated the Open Meetings Act. As a result of the lawsuit, the selection committee decided to restart the process. Soon after, the Alabama Senate amended the board of trustees’ constitution, allowing for a wider range of candidates. Some argue the process has gone on too long already, while others have praised the extension, suggesting it will lead to more considerate decisions.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
“
“It’s also a visioning document, where we’re really trying to take a vision of
what the city should look like in 20 years and putting together the individual steps to move us along the path to get us to that goal.” Although the changes won’t happen overnight, the city is expected to see some of the changes begin to materialize over the next few years. “It’s not set in stone,” said Mayor Bill Ham. “It will be a work in progress for years to come, but the state law dictates that every city will have a comp plan, or road map, for the future.”
formance. “You never really see a lot of guitar quartets come and play in your town, so the curiosity factor and the novelty factor, I think, really does tend to bring in a different kind of audience,” Montiel said. Arrangements being per-
formed Thursday night include original compositions from the 19th century and Spanish-inspired music. This is the first time the ensemble will play in the Auburn area. Tickets for the event are $5 in advance or $10 at the door. The concert starts at 7 p.m.
If it’s adopted, then we will begin to work on proposed regulatory changes to our zoning ordinance.” —Forrest Cotton planning director
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Opinions
A9 www.theplainsman.com
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Community
Our View
Anniversary of Sept. 11 renews zealous debate We don’t want to think of 9/11 as a divisive moment in American history, but that one event transformed our nation, and with great change comes great tension. The months after 9/11 were a time of coming together. We all felt the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood as we were united in our stand for freedom. It was both a tragic and beautiful time to be American. But times have changed. Sept. 11 has become the starting point for a host of unpleasant and complicated debates. Our government has taken unprecedented action in its fight against global terrorism. This action has laid the foundations for years of arduous policy debate. In our discussion we wandered from security to government expansion, privacy to race and ethnicity. On their own these topics are frustrat-
ing, and grouped together they made worthwhile conversation nearly impossible. To discuss them all in these few lines would not do the issues justice, nor would it give you an acceptable window into the opinion of The Plainsman staff. As such, we have decided to write a series of editorials beginning with security and ending with race and ethnicity. The security of our airports is based on reaction. Sept. 11 spurred our government to react and do it quickly, and they’ve stayed on the course of reaction since. When we take off our shoes, get our groins handled or relinquish our bottles of water, we’re doing so because of a hijacking attempt. It’s this nature of security that leads us to believe that we must standardize airport security. We’ve seen the advent of
body scanners, but not without rigorous debate about the not-so-small invasion of privacy on the part of the Transportation Security Administration. We at The Plainsman accept the price of safety. The current airport security practices are more agreeable to us than the gruesome death of a hijacking or explosion. But, random security checks are subject to serious accusations. Conservatives often see random security checks as a politically correct waste of time, and liberals believe that the checks are not so random, but give way to racial profiling. Because of this divide and for assured safety, we believe the TSA should develop a system that can scan every airline passenger. Complicating this position is the issue of time. As it stands now, airport body scanners
aren’t able to scan every passenger without increasing wait times by hours. We hope as the technology becomes more sophisticated, more than one person at a time can be scanned. The effectiveness of the devices has been questioned, and these concerns cannot be ignored. However, until evidence is found that proves the devices are somehow ineffective or have adverse health effects, they are our best tool for detecting explosives or other destructive elements. The issue is one of consistency. Our system frustrates travelers by putting them through checks that they feel unnecessarily single them out. A consistent system would give travelers the assurance of a safe flight while nullifying at least some of the political turbulance around the process of random screenings.
Quote of the Week
“
Students have a sense of security when they come to Auburn ... a lot of people lost their sense of security and innocence.” —Napo Monasterio “Auburn Remembers 9/11” A1
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Staff Columns
Intervention in Libya an unnecessary distraction Raye May intrigue@ theplainsman. com
Other than a few short periods of isolationism in America’s history, the United States has generally come to the aid of countries lacking democracy. The most recent expedition in Libya follows that pattern. Obama called for Gadhafi to step down, promising the Libyan rebels that the Libya they deserved was within reach. Now, Obama and NATO have agreed to support radical Is-
lamic al-Qaeda fighters in a proxy war in hopes of destabilizing the Libyan regime. Ten years after 9/11 and our world leaders are putting weapons into the hands of members of the very group that brought down the Twin Towers. However, Abdul Hakim al-Hasadi, head of security of one of the opposition groups in rebelheld territory, claims his fighters are patriots and not terrorists, and that they are still good Muslims. The notion that the al-Qaeda fighters are “good Muslims” somehow isn’t settling with me. I’m usually for the forgive-
and-forget mentality, but the 2,976 people that died at the hands of al-Qaeda 10 years ago this week make me a little more wary of the situation. Some are calling the mission in Libya “Obama’s Iraq.” While he didn’t send thousands of troops to Libya as Bush did to Iraq, I think I understand. There are plenty of things to be done on American soil. Bush’s war sent the economy into shambles, leaving Obama to pick up the pieces. Bush either forgot about the homefront or ignored it. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of Sept. 2, the unemployment rate in
America stands at 9.1 percent. The Consumer Price Index increased 0.5 percent in July, and inflation rose to 3.6 percent in the last six months. While I believe America has an obligation to aid oppressed nations as one of the world’s democratic superpowers, the majority of our government’s resources should be focused on its own country’s issues. I want to hear more about Obama’s plans for creating jobs and less about Gadhafi. I want to see inflation falling and gross domestic product rising. How are we going to fix everyone else if we can’t even fix ourselves?
National tragedy calls for remembrance, not politics Rebecca Croomes photo@ theplainsman.com
I, like many of you, was only in elementary school when 9/11 happened. I can remember almost every detail: where I was, who else was or wasn’t there and the surreal blue sky. I remember staying up late flipping around news channels trying to comprehend what had happened and why.
It’s been 10 years, and the world is a different place. During the past decade I’ve noticed a trend in national attention toward 9/11. As can be expected in the digital age of 24-hour news coverage, and in the face of other disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the recent outbreak of tornados, Americans have become numb. We’ve seen the towers collapse, the gaping hole in the Pentagon and the smoldering field in Shanksville, Penn., so many times on the Internet and television that we can’t feel the
same emotions as we did the first time we saw it. Sept. 11 was certainly a time when Americans rallied together, but in 10 year’s time we’ve been driven apart by a financial crisis, a change in the Oval Office and the question of whom exactly we can call “American.” On 9/11 all those lines were erased. Almost 3,000 people, including Jews, Christians, Muslims, atheists, gays, lesbians, straight people, black people, white people, Latinos, illegal and legal immigrants, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, entire companies of fire-
YAL not dedicated to libertarians Matt Greenemeier wrote a piece last week attacking a student organization, the Young Americans for Liberty, for “blatantly lying,” “using dishonesty” and “tricking people” while recruiting potential members on the concourse. I’d like to address a few of his claims and hopefully fill in some gaping holes in his unfounded tirade. Firstly, he never said how YAL was being dishonest. He said that YAL lied about being nonpartisan, but he never could quite pinpoint exactly which political party YAL supports. The reason he couldn’t is because YAL in fact is unaffiliated,
and this should be clear even from the short list of YAL’s goals: they are antiwar, pro-free market, antiFederal Reserve, pro-personal liberties, anti-drug war, and they generally distrust a government’s ability to solve society’s problems. Now, tell me: would you categorize this set of beliefs as Republican, Democrat, or even under the Libertarian Party (which is somewhat wishy-washy on all of these points, especially on the Federal Reserve and waging war)? The answer, just as if YAL could vote as a single entity in public office elections, is unashamedly and honestly
fighters and more than 100 other first responders didn’t get to go home. What insult to injury would it be to those families still grieving for us as a nation to parade their pain around as a cause for anything other than peace? On Sept. 11, 2011, I’m asking for people to remember exactly where they were and exactly how they felt. Concentrate on it harder than you ever have. Whatever you feel about this country, put it aside for the day and remember the tragedy for what it was: a loss of innocent life.
‘All In’ counts all the time
Recently, the University of Alabama started selling buttons saying “Never All In.” This gave way to much joking from Auburn fans about how Alabama’s fans are only part time for their team. After watching the student section clear a third of the seats between the second quarter until the end of the game, I say that some of the Auburn students don’t have room to talk. I was disappointed that when the going got tough on the field, the students disappeared. You should be ashamed of yourselves. I think those who left because we were losing should have their tickets revoked. Why should you be given a ticket when you won’t even stay to see the team through to the end? If anything, you should have continued to cheer on our team, and encouraged them rather than leave them. We are in a rebuilding season, and I agree that there is a lot of improvement that needs to happen. It would be unfair to expect them to perform at the same level as last year. I hope Auburn students will reflect on this so that next time our team is down we will stick by them. If we are truly a family, the Auburn family, we will be “All In” all the time. Anna Shurbutt sophomore, psychology
Your View
“none of the above.” Not to mention that YAL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which means that for YAL to retain its tax-exempt status, it cannot endorse a political candidate for office nor can it give money to any political campaign. Effective journalism demands honesty, and the first step toward honesty is getting the facts straight before reporting. YAL has admitted their biases (they’re kind of in the business of doing just that), so where are Matt’s? Jonathan Newman graduate student, economics
Criticism of YAL recruiting flawed Last week’s criticism of Young Americans for Liberty accused the freshman organization of lying to recruit the interests of the Libertarian Party. If Mr. Greenemeier had come to the meetings and group events, he would have met anarchists, Republicans, Democrats, constitutionalists, conservatives and classical liberals. The fact that it took Mr. Greenemeier “less than five minutes on Google” further demonstrates his rash condemnation of YAL. I went to their website to see where he read that YAL advocated libertarianism.
I found no such luck on www.yaliberty.org. I found such luck on Wikipedia. Wikipedia defines YAL as an advocacy group dedicated to libertarian principles and emphasizing the role of the Constitution. While many beliefs of libertarianism coincide with YAL, the two are not one. As for the propaganda Mr. Greenemeier insists YAL hands out, there is nothing in their free literature that promotes the agenda of libertarianism. Perhaps he was confused with a certain line in the introduction written by
famed economist Friedrich Hayek: “[Bastiat’s work on noninterference] is indeed a text around which one might expound a whole system of libertarian economic policy.” Hayek writes that something as complex and with such confounding variables as a whole economy cannot be empirically tested. This statement emphasizes what economists and economic professors already know: you cannot empirically test human behavior in a complex reality. Andrew McCaslin sophomore, journalism
The Editorial Board
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Editor
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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 A10
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, September 8, 2011
calendar: Thursday, Sept. 8 – Saturday, Sept. 17 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday 8
Texas Guitar Quartet
■ JCSM ■ 7 p.m.
Saturday 9
College Fishing Tournament
Bagel ■ 5 p.m.
■ 8:30 a.m.
■ Big Blue
Planning Commission Meeting
10
Arts, Bagels and Brew Bash
■ Ag Heritage Park
■ 141 N. Ross ■ 5 p.m. 11
All American Wine Dinner
■ Maestro
2300 ■ 6:30 p.m.
12
13
One Woman Show
■ JCSM ■ 4 p.m.
14
15
16
17
Third Thursday
Opelika City Council Highlights The council approved a new budget for the fiscal year. The new budget will go into effect Oct. 1 and will run until Sept. 30, 2012. The council will allow City Attorney Guy Gunter to move forward with civil action against two property owners. The owners are accused of violating the city’s historic preservation ordinance. The council approved resolutions allowing the city to remove weeds that “constitute a public nuisance and a menace” at four properties in Opelika: 911 York Ave., 1621 Fourth Ave., 1623 Fourth Ave. and 1625 Fourth Ave.
■ JCSM ■ 6 p.m.
The council voted 3–2 to approve a request from the owner of Ma’ Fias Italian Restaurant for expansion of the sidewalk on South Railroad Avenue.
Gnu’s Room and CMDC provide new Point of View Gnu’s Room to screen PBS documentaries Zach Welman Writer
Listen up: you have the opportunity to see lifechanging independent films before most of the general public. The Gnu’s Room, in conjunction with the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts, will be previewing episodes of the famed Public Broadcasting Service program “Point of View.” According to the PBS website, “Point of View,” commonly known as POV, is television’s longest-run-
ning showcase for innovative independent films. Each year PBS selects local partners throughout the United States— The Gnu’s Room being the only one chosen in Alabama—to preview almost 500 screenings of episodes covering a variety of contemporary social issues before they air. “Someone in (PBS’s) office had discovered our website and felt that because of all the things we do for the community, we would be a great fit as a venue for their films,” said Gnu’s Room owner and manager Tina Tatum. “It is an honor for The Gnu’s Room to have been chosen as a venue for the screenings, and students and residents should take advan-
tage of the wonderful opportunity we have been given.” Jay Lamar, director of the CMDC, approached The Gnu’s Room about being a community partner. “(POV) brings to us people, places and events that we would not otherwise know about,” Lamar said. “They are provocative, enriching, thoughtful documentaries, and the discussion following the screening opens up all kinds of ideas, dialogue and chances to learn and share.” Those at the CMDC especially encourage students to attend the screenings. “What the partnership has helped us with in the short term is getting the word out about the community events we cospon-
sor with the Arts & Humanities, such as book talks and film screenings,” Tatum said. POV previews began Aug. 12 with a showing of “Biblio Burro.” The film follows a teacher traveling to remote villages in the violence-ridden country of Columbia to deliver books and teach children to read. “This is a great opportunity for the Center for the Arts & Humanities to partner with The Gnu’s Room to offer the Auburn community a unique chance to see and discuss POV films before they air,” said Maiben Beard, the center’s outreach associate. The next screening at The Gnu’s Room will be Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. of the film “Sweet Grass.”
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They are provocative, enriching, thoughtful documentaries, and the discussion following the screening opens up all kinds of ideas.” —Jay Lamar director of CMDC
According to the POV website, “‘Sweet Grass’ offers an unprecedented record of a cowboy way of life at the moment of its dis-
appearance and a magnificently filmed portrait of a world in which nature, culture, animals and humans are on intimate terms— and sometimes violently at odds.” All POV films shown in The Gnu’s Room will be screened 30 days prior to airing on PBS. The films are being shown once a month Thursdays or Fridays at 7 p.m., and future screenings will be announced through The Gnu’s Room’s website and through the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities. To find out more about the series, visit www.pbs. org/pov. The POV screenings at The Gnu’s Room are free and open to the public.
Sports Thursday, September 8, 2011
New Auburn theme song
Swim and dive season
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B1 Sports
Robert E. Lee / assistant campus editor
Auburn fans cheer as freshman running back Tre Mason sprints past Utah State defenders for a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter Saturday.
Tigers steal last -minute victory from Utah State Christina Santee sports editor
A win is a win. That’s what coach Gene Chizik said in his post-game press conference Saturday. Auburn fans used the same five words to hide their possibly bruised egos and the realization that Auburn’s performance against Utah State failed to meet many peoples’ expectations. “We didn’t play well, period,” Chizik said. “No excuse, no nothing. I thought it was a very poor defensive performance. That’s not acceptable here at Auburn, so I fully expect us to rectify that next week. “Offensively, I thought the same for much of the game. I think finally in the last quarter or so, we actually looked like an offense that is a college offense. We have a lot of work to do.” Granted, the Tigers pulled off a 42–38 victory over the Aggies in the game’s dwindling minutes, but it was by the skin of their teeth and, as some may argue, by sheer luck. “At the end of the day, it was what it was,” Chizik said. “We’ve got to continue to improve and we’ve got to continue to play until the clock says zero on it. Our team’s always going to do that.” With that said, the facts beg the question of whether confidence is high or low concerning Saturday’s conference opener against No. 20 Mississippi State. “Obviously we’ve got a great challenge this week with Mississippi State,” Chizik said. “Re-
ally looking at them, this is an extremely talented, very wellcoached football team, and we certainly have our challenges with them coming in here for our first SEC game. “It’ll be another great measuring tool for us to see exactly where we are, obviously when it comes to competing in this conference.” During last year’s game at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., Auburn came away with only a three-point victory over the Bulldogs, and not because of well-executed plays. In the opening quarter, the Tigers were the first to score after Auburn wide receiver Emory Blake caught a 39yard pass from former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Former kicker Wes Byrum secured the extra point, putting Auburn ahead by seven. Mississippi State’s left guard Gabe Jackson scored a touchdown after recovering a fumble in the end zone. The second quarter was vital to the Tigers’ success, accumulating 10 more points from only two plays. With 8:37 on the clock, former Auburn wide receiver Darvin Adams scored again for the Tigers after catching a 12-yard pass in the end zone from Newton. At 4:29 in the third, Byrum successfully completed a 34-yard field goal, pushing Auburn ahead 17–7. With 8:55 left in the third quarter, Mississippi State running back Vick Ballard scored a touchdown after a 1-yard run, and kicker Sean Brauch-
Robert E. Lee / assistant campus editor
Defensive end Justin Delaine and linebacker Jake Holland celebrate over a downed Aggie.
le punched in the extra point. Arguably, the game ended in the third quarter as both teams failed to acquire any points in the fourth, and despite a close game, the Tigers came out on top 17–14. Mississippi dominated its season-opener against the University of Memphis last Thursday, winning 59–14 on Memphis’ home turf. During a post-game press conference, Mississippi State’s football coach, Dan Mullen, addressed the media with his thoughts concerning Saturday’s matchup. “We have a real tough opponent, a team that has the longest winning streak in the na-
tion,” Mullen said of the Tigers. “I think everybody saw last week they know how to win games. No matter what the situation is, they find a way to win and obviously any time you go on the road in the SEC, it’s going to be a tough challenge.” The Bulldogs were 9–4 for the 2010 season, beating out conference opponents including Georgia, Florida, Ole Miss and Kentucky. Although Auburn holds the record for most consecutive victories, several of the Tigers’ 2010 wins were by eight points or fewer. Auburn’s win over Utah State was secured by a mere
four points. Chizik stressed the importance of a solid week of practice in preparation for the conference opener Saturday. “We’ve got a lot of improvement to make,” Chizik said. “Usually you see that between your first and second week. We’re hoping that that’s going to be the case. With us, we certainly have a ton of room for improvement, and we fully expect to do that. It’ll be a great SEC opener for us.” Saturday’s face-off is Auburn’s “True Blue” game, and all fans are encouraged to show their Tiger spirit by wearing blue. Kickoff is at 11:21 a.m.
Wait, the Auburn Tigers almost lost to the Utah State Aggies? Brandon Miller sports@ theplainsman.com
As I sat in Jordan-Hare Saturday, everything in the world felt right again. The band was playing loudly, the team was back on the field and an abundance of fans wearing orange were in attendance. It was amazing. Then, the game started. Regardless, I could not have been more impressed with the 85,245 fans that made it to the opener, including the few hundred Utah State fans that made the 1,861-mile trip. But some Tigers fans continued a tradition that I’ve seen build up over the past few seasons. Once the game hit halftime, seats began to clear. Remember, Auburn was trailing 21–14 at that point. I understand it was Labor Day weekend, and students and families surely had prior engage-
ments, but I think it showed where fans’ priorities were, not to mention what a pushover Auburn expected Utah State to be. It happened again when Utah State took a 10-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Everyone assumed the game was over, myself included. But the fans that left appeared to be giving up on the possibility of a comeback. I don’t think that’s what coach Gene Chizik means by fans being “All In.” By the time the clock hit zero, I’d bet only 70,000 fans were in the stadium celebrating. A win is a win, though. That’s all that matters. However, if Saturday’s efforts are a preview of the rest of the season, strap in because the next 12 weeks are going to feel like an eternity. The two main concerns, as predicted, are the offensive line and defense. Auburn rushed for 78 yards Saturday. Last year’s team averaged 284.8 yards a game. While Cam Newton was a major con-
tributor, Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb were still the second and third top rushers, which was not showcased Saturday. Granted, four players on the offensive line were starting for the first time. Without a running game, more pressure is added to the defense, and, as everyone saw, that’s not good. Utah State, in what was almost the biggest win in the history of their program, racked up 448 yards of total offense, but that’s just a statistic. The Aggies dominated while on offense, and everyone noticed. There’s no other way to put it. If you didn’t miss Nick Fairley prior to Saturday, you should have after Utah State ran for 227 yards. That’s twice as much as last year’s game average for opponents. With all of that said, experience is an excuse, and it’s one that will be used a lot this season. While I think the team will show a great deal of progress as the season continues, its just go-
ing to take some transitioning. On a positive note, there were several things that impressed me Saturday. Barrett Trotter showed why he’s the starting quarterback. Despite making a few bad throws, Trotter’s numbers tell the tale. On 17 completions, he threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns. The receivers were as impressive as Trotter. Emory Blake had three catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Travante Stallworth had 93 yards on four catches and a touchdown. What caught my attention the most with Blake and Stallworth were the moves they made downfield to find the end zone. Blake weaved in and out of defenders for the first score of the year, which went for 56 yards. Stallworth’s move to reach the end zone was something he’ll tell his grandkids about. I hope he apologized to Isaiah Jones for breaking his ankles. Clearly, though, special teams was the highlight Saturday. Tre Mason’s kickoff return to
the house and Emory Blake recovering the onside kick were game-changing. Without those plays, Auburn would likely be 0–1. With that said, the game was a wake-up call for fans. As I watched the game, I noticed how quickly many turned negative toward the team. Clearly, this team is not the same team as last year, so it might not compete at the same level. Judging by Saturday alone, we could be looking at a season similar to 2008. Do you remember those tragic three months? I’m not saying that’s going to happen, not with the 2010 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year heading the squad. Chizik has proven himself during his short tenure here. I just hope fans continue to be supportive no matter what. Unless Auburn has a complete turnaround this week, Tigers fans will need a healthy dose of optimism against No. 20 Mississippi State Saturday.
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The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Basketball season to kick off brandon miller Assistant sports editor
plainsman archives
Sophomore Lindsey Norberg swims at the home meet against Florida in January.
Swimming and diving ready to defend SEC winning streak
Graham Carr Writer
It’s time again for stopwatches, goggles and swim caps in Auburn. Auburn’s swimming and diving team, set to defend its streak of 15 consecutive men’s SEC titles, starts its season Sept. 24 in the intrasquad Orange and Blue meet. Coach Brett Hawke said preparation now is essential for a good spring and summer, when the bigger meets take place. “We are really focused on the Olympics in July next year,” Hawke said. “Ultimately, that’s where everyone would like to end up. We are focusing on that, and we also have the mindset of wanting to do well at NCAAs. We are trying to get in as much work as possible in the fall so it will set us up for some really good racing in the lead-up to the Olympics.” Hawke, in his second
year as head coach, said Auburn’s past success puts pressure on him to succeed. “I think there is pressure that I put on myself, but I think that once you can get past that you can get back to the basics, wanting to be great and trying to control what you can control,” Hawke said. Hawke’s expectation for this season is to build off last season’s SEC title. “We want to continue to grow and continue our streak of 15 SEC titles on the men’s side,” Hawke said. “We want to try and get better than we were last year, which was sixth on the men’s side at NCAAs and eighth on the women’s.” The Auburn women start the SEC schedule at home against the University of Arkansas Oct. 5, while the men start Oct. 21 against Louisiana State University.
This year’s important additions to the schedule are the women’s team facing Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., Oct. 21 and both the men’s and women’s teams facing Penn State Nov. 4. Hawke said racing these teams gives Auburn a chance to race against teams they are not as familiar with. Both the men’s and women’s teams race traditional powerhouse and rival Georgia Nov. 11. After the dive team travels to the Georgia Tech Invitational set to take place Nov. 18–20, the swim team ends the fall portion of the schedule at the Georgia Invitational in Athens Dec. 2–4. They will face Georgia, defending national champion California, Virginia, Harvard, UNC-Wilmington and Indiana at this meet. » See Swimming B3
Although the 2011–12 men’s basketball season is two months away, last week’s release of the schedule is creating buzz among fans. “You have to build your schedule to where you think your team or program is in its building stage,” said second-year coach Tony Barbee. “Obviously last year, we had some contests against some higher-quality teams, but not an abundance of them. This year, I think you’ll see the natural progression of the team which leads to the natural progression of the schedule.” The Tigers are returning four of five starters from last season, including Rob Chubb and Kenny Gabriel. Because of tournament play, Auburn has the chance to face 19 teams that went to a postseason tournament last year. Nine of those teams went to the NCAA Tournament, and 10 went to the National Invitation Tournament. “We have a renewed series with Florida State that we start down there,” Barbee said. “They are a team that should have been in last year’s Final Four, a team that was a Sweet 16 team and has a lot of talented players coming back.” The Tigers will play seven of those 19 teams at home, including McNeese State, Bethune-Cookman, Georgia and Ole Miss. Auburn opens the season Nov. 11 against McNeese State. After three home nonconference games, the Tigers travel to Newark, N.J., to compete in the SEC-Big East Challenge. Auburn next plays South Florida, North Florida and Florida A&M, and then will
make a trip to Hawaii for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. “I’m excited about the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii with an outstanding field of multiple NCAATournament teams in the field with Clemson, Xavier and Kansas State,” Barbee said. “You are talking multiple NCAA-Tournament teams, which is something we aspire to be. “To get there, you have to play teams like that so you know where you stand and hopefully come out on top in more than your fair share of them.” At the turn of the calendar year, Auburn completes its last few nonconference games by traveling to Tallahassee to face Florida State, whom the Tigers beat last year at home. Auburn opens SEC play on the road against Vanderbilt before welcoming Kentucky on Jan. 11 for its first SEC home game. “Kentucky will sell out,” said Bryan Elmore, assistant director of budget services. “Those tickets that aren’t bought by Auburn fans will be bought by Kentucky fans. They usually travel well regardless of where they play.” The SEC basketball schedule rotates from year to year. The Tigers play each team in the East once a year with the venue alternating each year. This year, in addition to Kentucky, Auburn will host South Carolina Jan. 21 and Georgia Feb. 1. Georgia and Kentucky are the only two teams Auburn will play at home that made the NCAA Tournament a year ago. Auburn plays each team in the West twice a year, once at home and once on
the road. In 2010, the Tigers’ record showed the difference between road and home games. “As is the case with any basketball game I’ve ever been to—especially with a home environment—a team always feeds off the energy with the crowd,” Elmore said. “They build momentum based on the crowd’s reaction.” Auburn reinforced that logic last year when it lost to both Ole Miss and Mississippi State on the road, but beat both opponents at home. Joy Waldrop, sophomore in pre-verterinary medicine, said she’s most excited about the Mississippi State game. “I’m excited about the Mississippi State game this year because last year it was an exciting comeback that no one expected,” Waldrop said. Auburn hosts rival Alabama Feb. 7 in a game that always has more meaning than only basketball. Each year, the ODK-Foy Sportsmanship trophy is presented to the winner of the Iron Bowl at halftime. It was one of Auburn’s few sellouts last year. Unless Auburn reaches a postseason tournament, the season will end with a March 8 trip to New Orleans to play in the SEC Tournament. Despite Auburn finishing fifth in the SEC West last year, Barbee has continued to show positive energy toward getting the Tigers back to the top of the division. “If Auburn people stay committed to letting coach Barbee and his staff work through these first couple of difficult years, we’ll be fine,” Elmore said.
Friday, September 9th Battle of the Bands
Tuesday, September 13th Recycled Percussion
Cater Lawn 7:00 PM Free Food for first 250 Vote for Your Fan Favorite!
Student Act 7:30 PM Doors open @ 7:00 PM
Wednesday, September 14th Dinner & a Movie: Bridesmaids
AUSC Ballroom Movie Begins @ 7:00 PM Doors open at 6:30 PM
Thursday, September 15th Hypnotist Kevin Hurley
AUSC Ballroom 8:30 PM
Doors open @ 8:00 PM
For more info: auburn.edu/upc 334.844.4788 or follow @AuburnUPC on Twitter and Facebook
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Swimming
» From B2 The dive team wraps up the fall portion of the schedule at the USA Diving Winter Nationals Dec. 15–22 and starts the spring portion at the Georgia Diving Invitational Jan. 3–5. The men will try to defend their SEC title Feb. 15– 18 in Knoxville, Tenn. After the Bulldog Invitational in Athens, Ga., Feb. 24–26, both teams host the James E. Martin Invitational.
The dive team then hosts the NCAA Zone B Diving Regional March 8–10. The women end the season hosting the NCAA championships at the Martin Aquatic Center March 15–17. The Tigers last hosted the championship in 2003, when they won the national title. The men’s NCAA Championships are March 22–24 in Seattle. Katherine Askew, sophomore in accounting, said she enjoys watching the
The Auburn Plainsman aquatic Tigers. “I love going to the swim meets and watching them race,” Askew said. “I love the relays the most because they can get pretty intense.” Mic Mims, senior in agriculture economics, thinks it’s great that Auburn excels at other sports than football. “I think its great that Auburn is not a one-sport University,” Mims said. “It shows we are not all about football. The more championships we have in other sports the better.”
maria iampietro / photo editor
Francisco Aihe (left) and A.J. Greene write and produce songs in their home studio.
Auburn-themed hip-hop song creates noise on the Plains Natalie Yarid Associate News Editor
A new anthem may be buzzing in Jordan-Hare Stadium this football season. Francisco Aihe, former Auburn basketball player, and A.J. Greene, current Auburn football player, have partnered to create some new tunes for the Auburn family. “Aihe is very passionate about his music,” said Kala Bolton, senior in English and journalism and friend of the musicians. “It’s his true love.” Aihe and Greene met three years ago in acting class at Auburn. They were inspired to produce an album by rapper Wiz Khalifa’s visit to Auburn this spring. The most recent collaboration between the two is “Orange Navy Anthem.” “The song is about the new season,” Aihe said. “It started because of Auburn’s undefeated National Championship season. It is like hip-hop mixed with dubstep, and electronic pop.” Aihe is the original artist, but without Greene as producer, the song would never be heard. “A.J. is one of the most talented musicians I have ever met,” Bolton said. “I could play a song in the car that he has never heard before and five minutes later, he will have figured out
how to play it on the piano.” Besides being an Auburn student and football player, Greene chooses to spend his free time making music. “Music takes me to a different place,” said Greene, senior in anthropology. “I don’t think about anything else. It takes me to a certain place that I love to be.” Aihe said it has been fun working with Greene. “He is just so funny,” Aihe said. “He is also a great singer and just a great guy. His passion for football and music is out of this world. I don’t know how he can go so hard at football, then come home and make three top-notch beats. He inspires me.” Greene wanted to study music production at Auburn, but found out the program wasn’t available, so it became a hobby. “It’s difficult to balance football, school and music,” Greene said. “I want to do something, so I have to make time for that. I teach myself everything I know.” Bolton said she expects the two to be successful in their venture. “The ‘Orange Navy Anthem’ is a great song,” Bolton said. “I think they are going to get a lot of buys because it is so different and so catchy.” The song is complete and is now available on iTunes. “I think it is a great song, but people are mistak-
ing it,” Greene said. “It isn’t just a song, it is a tradition that we are trying to create. Why do we say orange-blue in the stadium, when we could say orange-navy?” Tunes from the pair, including “Orange Navy Anthem” have been played at different Auburn sporting events, including the spring football game. “This is one of those songs that if it plays in the stadium everyone is going to go crazy,” Aihe said. Aihe started working on the song while in graduate school in Montgomery last football season. “Auburn was doing so well, and I couldn’t be there. I just wanted to do something nice for them,” Aihe said. “No matter, win, lose or draw, we are still Auburn Tigers, and I incorporated that into the song. It’s just a song I believe will be around for a long time.” The song also has a music video that was filmed Saturday before and after the Auburn football game. Follow Aihe’s Twitter account, @teamorangenavy, for more details. “A.J. and Aihe are a part of the Auburn family, and they are making music for the school and teams that they love,” Bolton said. “I think that we as students and fans should be proud of that effort and do everything we can to support them.”
Freshman Tatiana Coleman named SEC Player of the Week Melody Kitchens Writer
Right sock, left sock. Right cleat, left cleat. Tatiana Coleman doesn’t miss a step in her pregame ritual. Coleman, freshman forward on the women’s soccer team, was recently named the Southeastern Confer-
ence’s offensive player of the week. “It’s not easy,” Coleman said. “You don’t become the SEC offensive player of the week by just sitting there and not working hard. I work really hard in practice so that I can play well in games.” Coleman’s hard work is
paying off. She is the first Auburn freshman since 2002 to be named player of the week. Coleman also scored a hat trick against Kennesaw State. Coach Karen Hoppa said this is an achievement most » See COLEMAN, B4
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Coleman » From B3
college players never attain. “As a freshman, that’s an amazing feat,” Hoppa said. “It shows what an exciting career she has in store.” Hoppa said Coleman is the total package as a forward and just right for Auburn’s team dynamic. “She can do it all. She’s fast, athletic, skillful with the ball, scores goals, and she can defend,” Hoppa said. From Boca Raton, Fla., Coleman chose Auburn because of how welcoming the coaching staff and teammates were. “They made me feel at home,” Coleman said. “The girls on the team were really inviting and included me in everything they did. They were really comfortable to be around.” Coleman began playing soccer when she was
5 years old. Tess Patton, teammate and freshman in physical education, has known Coleman since they began playing soccer against each other at 12 years old. Patton said Coleman is a fast and technical player that puts forth a good effort. “Our Auburn team is like a family and everyone gets along,” Patton said. “She fits in great,” Hoppa said. “I think the team really respects her and is excited that she’s part of our program.” Coleman said she is honored to have a year with her current senior teammates and has high hopes for this season. “I’m looking forward to making it further than Auburn has ever made it,” Coleman said. “You have to work hard to get where you want to be. If you don’t work hard, you’re not going to get the results you want.”
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Thursday, September 8, 2011
Coach Osteen continues to excel at Auburn Hayley Blair Associate Campus Editor
When golf coach Nick Clinard made his way to Auburn from the University of Central Florida three years ago, he brought along his assistant coach, Evan Osteen, as well. Osteen has worked with Clinard for three years, one of which was spent at the University of Central Florida. Because Osteen made such a good impression, Clinard offered him the assistant coach job at Auburn after he was hired as head coach. “His interaction with the players is excellent, and he’s a great recruiter,” Clinard said of Osteen. “He’s a great person and really gets involved with their lives, so he’s a great addition to the program.” Osteen said he is happy to have been given the opportunity to do something he loves as a profession. “I love sports. I’ve been around sports my entire life,” Osteen said. “I’d always wanted to get into coaching, and I had a wonderful opportunity to work with coach Clinard. I’ve loved it ever since. I thank my lucky stars every day I get up that I get to do something that I enjoy and love to do.” There’s more to life than sports, however, and Osteen said he hopes to be able to help his athletes with multiple aspects of their lives, no matter what that entails. “It’s not all about golf, it’s about life,” Osteen said. “Hopefully when they’re done with their time at Auburn, they’re not only better golfers, but hopefully better people, and they’re ready for the real world. We try to be there for them on
and off the golf course as often as we can.” Clinard said he thinks Osteen’s coaching and recruitment skills are enhanced by his consideration for the players and their families, and his concern for the players goes beyond athletics. “Evan really puts their lives first,” Clinard said. “He puts their families first. He’s big into lifestyle management. He’s big into just kind of what’s going on in their lives, whether it’s good or bad, and really kind of being there for them and trying to help them out and help them grow as a person.” Osteen played many sports when he was in college, including golf. “I’ve been fortunate enough to play for a lot of good coaches, and I think each of them brought a little something different to the table, whether it’s organization skills or the passion and energy they brought to the golf course every day,” Osteen said. “You definitely get to learn different things.” Osteen said he is happy with his career and advises everyone to find something they are equally passionate about and pursue it wholeheartedly. “I think you have to be passionate and love what you do,” Osteen said. “If you do those two things, I think you’re always headed in the right direction. Obviously in life things don’t always go your way 100 percent of the time, but if you have passion and enthusiasm in what you do and you work hard, then more times than not you’re going to like where you stand at the end of the day.”
getting to know osteen
Women’s golf releases schedule Sarah Stutler Writer
Women’s golf coach Kim Evans is enthusiastic going into her 18th season at Auburn. When asked about what was expected out of the team this year, she said expectations are high. “The way I call it, I’m ready to step through the fire,” Evans said. “You know, all of them, all of them are very capable of having low numbers, of achieving the goals that they’ve set for themselves individually and as a team. I think I’m looking for them, individually, oneby-one to start achieving what they’ve set out to do here at Auburn, and that’s to be in contention to win and to bring home honors and bring home trophies.” The Lady Tigers will be competing as the defending Southeastern Conference champions. However, they fell short of making it to nationals last year. Haley Wilson, senior in communication, hasn’t let that hold her back. “It was kind of hard,” Wilson said. “We didn’t make it to nationals and so I just kind of let that drive me to just work as hard as I can and do the best that I can to make sure we make it to nationals in the spring this year.” Patricia Sanz, senior in biomedical sciences, said she has learned a lot from the championships she’s been a part of at Auburn. “You learn that every team is beatable, because Alabama was killing us last year every tournament and then we came back in SECs and we won,” Sanz said. “Also, last year at the end of the season we realized our attitude wasn’t being the greatest and we made a change,
“
I’m ready to step through the fire.” —Kim Evans Women’s golf coach
and that change changed everything. We went from about finishing 11th in Georgia to almost finishing second, and then we won SECs just by having a good attitude and just committing to each other and being positive. That made a difference.” It’s clear the women this year are driven and ready to get on the course and put their skills to the test against new opponents. As they’ve been preparing this summer, Evans has been able to use ‘play days’ to bring out their competitive side. “Practice has been pretty good, you know, we’re going to get a couple of really good days (before this weekend), but with such a competitive team and depth we’ve had a lot of play days because we got to play it out and see who can go to the first event,” Evans said. “We’ve been grabbing practice here and there, but they’ve mainly been preparing and learning and qualifying against themselves, so I look for the meat of our practice to be two days this week, and then when we get back we have a couple of weeks before we leave again, so we’ll pick up a good practice routine.” A young team combined with the loss of Cydney Clanton, a senior on last year’s SEC Championship team turned professional golfer, can make a coach nervous about a tough schedule.
Evans said she is confident in her girls and is optimistic about this year’s schedule. “Last year we had the No. 1-ranked schedule in the country,” Evans said. “This year it won’t be. It’ll be back and that’s good. Even though we have two seniors that are obviously going to this event, we’re still kind of a young team. We got two freshmen that are showing that they’re going to be playing and a couple of sophomores that are probably going to see it, and with Marta (Sanz) in the lineup this week and then Carlie (Yadloczky) is just a junior, so even though we’re veteran, we’re young. So, I like our schedule, it lines us up with a couple of tournaments not quite as competitive, but still very good events. “Then, of course, the Pac 12-SEC Challenge and the UNC Tournament are, you know, top tournament, so we’ll see what we’re up against this fall. The spring folds out a very tough schedule. We’re looking forward to it. The kids seem energized and enthusiastic and they’re very competitive with each other, but they want this team to be good.” The women’s golf team kicks off its schedule this weekend in Bryan, Texas, for the “Mo”Morial invitational hosted by Texas A&M University. The first round will be held Sept. 11, and the invitational will conclude Sept. 13. The lineup for the tournament is as follows: Haley Wilson, Marta Sanz, Patricia Sanz, Carlie Yadloczky and Victoria Trapani. Nicole Quinn will also compete individually at the tournament.
Intrigue Thursday, September 8, 2011
Pure Vida fashion
Sept. 11 remembered
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Intrigue
Auburn named southern living at its finest Nick Bowman Opinions Editor
To the fans and the faithful, Auburn is the best town in the world. To the people at Southern Living magazine, the city of Auburn is one of the best in the South. In a recent article titled “The South’s Best College Towns,” Auburn finds itself among places like Athens, Ga., Knoxville, Tenn., Chapel Hill, N.C., and Gainesville, Fla. To be included on the list, towns had to have a population of fewer than 200,000. Other requirements from Southern Living were a “lively local scene with good, affordable restaurants, independent boutiques and a support of the arts.” There aren’t many places more lively than Toomer’s Corner on a Saturday afternoon. The calls of “War Eagle” and the white streamers from the down-butnot-out oaks give Auburn a feel most towns don’t have or understand. “It’s the friendliness,” said City Manager Charles Duggan. “When a football team comes to play here, our fans and everyone surrounding the community say, ‘Enjoy yourselves, and leave only a little disappointed about losing the game.’” Duggan said the people of Au-
Rebecca Croomes / Assistant Photo Editor
Locals enjoy Auburn’s nightlife outside Hamilton’s restaurant on Magnolia Avenue. burn make the town what it is. “Auburn has a reputation of being one of the friendliest places around,” Duggan said. “It includes the people who live here the entire year and the students who live here for most of the year.” Arguably the most well-known of Auburn’s many landmarks is Toomer’s Drugs.
As one of the main reasons Southern Living included Auburn in the list, Toomer’s is the center of not just Auburn’s downtown, but of the town’s football tradition. If Auburn is Mecca, Toomer’s is the Kaaba. “We’re definitely excited that people put us in the same sta-
tus as an Auburn tradition,” said Toomer’s manager Michael Overstreet. “It’s important to us. It’s great that people feel that way about us.” Overstreet said he knows why Auburn is a great place to be. “I believe it’s probably the only place that you can get a smalltown atmosphere, but have twen-
ty-or-so thousand students and no telling how many general residents in the area, but yet still maintain this small-community feel,” Overstreet said. Duggan said it’s football and this small-town atmosphere that draw people to Auburn. “People really enjoy being in Auburn,” Duggan said. “They enjoy being around the University or going to a game. I was talking to someone the other day who said, ‘The more you live in Auburn the older you get, but you’re always surrounded by young people.’ We’re always being replenished.” Auburn is more than Toomer’s and football tradition. The small town is packed with flavor that can be found in places like the Creole Shack, Good ol’ Boys, Mamma Goldberg’s, Hamilton’s and Niffer’s Place. If you’re looking for a dose of art, head to places like The Gnu’s Room, the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn Art and the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Sally Wright, sophomore in nursing, is from Newport, Wash. “I made friends really quickly,” Wright said. “Everyone is really nice, much nicer than up North. Even though home is across the country, I always feel welcome here.”
Auburn Raptor Center offers rescued birds second chance Kate Jones Assistant Intrigue Editor
Friday afternoons before home games are buzzing with activity as tailgaters roll into town, but a show at the Southeastern Raptor Center is educating the community about raptors. “The Southeastern Raptor Center does rehabilitation of injured, ill and orphaned wildlife,” said raptor specialist Marianne Hudson. “Education of the community about raptors and their role in the environment and conservation through study of raptors.” The center takes in birds from all over the Southeast, but mainly Alabama and Georgia. Liz Crandall is a raptor rehabilitation specialist and works on the rehabilitation side of the center. “We do our best to rehabilitate them and put them back into the wild,” Crandall said. Some birds are able to be released and others are not, depending on the amount of trauma. “Some of them face pretty serve trauma and the only thing to do is to euthanize them,” Crandall said. “But we do have a lot of cases that aren’t able to be released, but they do make good educational candidates and they would have a good quality of life in a zoo or educational facility like ours.” Crandall said birds have been placed in New York, Florida, Oregon and California. Nova, Spirit and Tiger, Auburn War Eagles, are rescued birds. “Nova was born at the Montgomery Zoo, as he was not planned, so he wasn’t on their permit,” Crandall said. “So we added him to our permit.” Spirit was found injured in South Florida. “He had a broken wing and a damaged beak, and you can still see the damaged beak if you get really close to him, so he was actually not releasable,” Crandall said. Tiger’s story is perhaps the most mysterious. Born in 1980, Tiger was illegally bred in captivity in Kentucky. “She passed through several hands before she came here,” Hudson said. “And for a long
Maria Iampietro / Photo Editor
Students receive maps and information about the library as they enter for the annual Ralph Brown Draughon tailgate.
RBD hosts tailgate party to start season Sloane Hudson Writer
Alex Sager / Associate Photo Editor
The Raptor Center holds shows on Fridays before home games. time she was the responsibility of the (Alpha Phi Omega) fraternity here on campus. And they took great care of her, but then eventually her care and guardianship was handed over to the Southeastern Raptor Center.” Hudson said the center— specifically her partner Roy Crowe—has been trying to acquire information about her for years from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents regarding how she came from Kentucky to the fraternity. “All those guys are retired,” Hudson said. “And they’re like, ‘We’ll have someone call you back,’ and we can’t ever get the information.” Hudson said she knew Tiger went through a couple of rehabiliation centers before she went to the fraternity. Hudson and Crowe work to educate the community on raptors. “We’re both raptor specialists, and we have a group of educational raptors that are permanent residents here at the cen-
ter,” Hudson said. “And what we do with them is educational presentations all over the Southeast.” Presentations are given to school groups, scout groups and church groups. “We use the birds as a catalyst to get the audience excited about learning,” Hudson said. Hudson said each presentation is different, and the content is based on the needs of the client. “We have used the birds to teach about ecology, mathematics, literature, history and also biblical studies,” Hudson said. With a wide variety of people at the shows on Friday before home games, Hudson said they tend to focus on the amazing abilities of the birds. “So falcons, for example, are the fastest animals on the planet,” Hudson said. “Eagles are incredibly strong, so we tend focus on some of the natural histo» See Raptor, B6
Excited to kick off Auburn’s football weekend, students filed into the Ralph Brown Draughon Library for its fifth annual tailgate Friday. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., students were encouraged to visit the library for games, refreshments and prizes. In attendance was Miss Auburn University Emilee Williams, a War Eagle and, of course, Aubie. The event was open to Auburn students and faculty, as well as family members. “We really want to get newer students who might have ‘library anxiety’ to come in and explore,” said Marcia Boosinger, associate dean for public services. Upon arrival, students were given a map of the library and a guide for where and when various tailgate activities would take place. Students were encouraged to visit the places listed on the map and get a hole punched for each location visited. The completed maps could then be turned in at the end of the tour for a drawing to win a football autographed by Gene Chizik. While receiving free snacks and goodies, students had the option to participate in a third-floor scavenger hunt or to roll ‘Library Corner’ on the fourth floor. The Auburn University Marching Band performed with the
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If we can get students in and show them this isn’t a scary place, we’ve done our jobs.” —Cory Latham Library employee
cheerleaders and Tiger Paws on the second floor for a brief entertainment break at 11:30 a.m. “This is an opportunity for students to visit places in the library they normally would not,” said Caitlyn Piper, senior in communication disorders and library employee. Stationed at the Miller Writing Center, Piper explained how the center is available to both undergraduate and graduate students and how employees can help with writing assignments for any Auburn class. “It’s these types of things that new students might not know otherwise,” Piper said. “So it’s a fun way to get them to visit and see what we have to offer.” Tents were stationed throughout the library at places such as the circulation desk on the first floor, where students could learn how to reserve a group study room or request materials from » See Tailgate, B6
Intrigue B6
The Auburn Plainsman
Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Burgers
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Kerry’s recipe of the week
Ingredients: 1 12 oz. jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil, 2 tablespoons of oil reserved 1 pound ground beef 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon olive oil salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: In a food processor or blender, blend the sundried tomatoes and the reserved 2 tablespoons of oil. Pulse until it is a thick paste and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper. Form into 8 thin patties. Set 4 of the patties out and top with a tablespoon of the sun-dried tomato spread. Place the remaining 4 patties on top of the others and seal each burger so the filling cannot come out. Cook on a preheated grill for 5–7 minutes on each side. Serves: 4
Contributed by Kerry Fannon
Joe Random Taylor Hall sophomore, physics ──
What is your favorite color? Blue or green What is your favorite food? Chinese Why did you want to be a physics major? I really enjoy the problem solving and analytical thinking aspects of it. Where are you from? Helena, Ala., close to Birmingham
What is your favorite kind of music? I listen to a lot of indie and electronica music. What is one of your hobbies? I play the trumpet in the Auburn University Marching Band. What is your favorite TV show? Psych What’s the best movie you’ve seen recently? Definitely Tangled
Raptor » From B5
at Auburn University
October 21-23, 2011 For course and registration information, visit:
auburn.edu/read
Mark your calendar and plan to attend! Registration Fee: $275 when registering before October 12.
Considering graduate school? You might also be interested in our GRE and GMAT Test Prep Courses. To learn more about these offerings, visit:
auburn.edu/opce Office of Professional and Continuing Education 301 O.D. Smith Hall | Auburn, AL 36849 334.844.5100 | opce@auburn.edu Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer. (c) 2011
people would be interested in.” Student workers help Hudson and Crowe with the raptor presentations. Sean Smith, senior in wildlife sciences, is the primary caretaker of Mercer, a barn owl living at the Center. “I actually started out on the rehabilitation side before I came down to the education side,” Smith said. “I’ve been here all summer and started this semester.” Hudson said her job is rewarding and enjoyable. “I enjoy using the birds to inspire an appreciation for God’s creation,” Hudson said.
Tailgate » From B5
For the past five years, library employee Cory Latham has attended every tailgate party. “If we can get students in and show them this isn’t a scary place, we’ve done our jobs,” Latham said. “Also, there’s free food.” The tailgate party is an annual event scheduled on the Friday before Auburn’s first football game, and the organizers see no end in sight for the tradition. “We want to keep this tradition going, much like every other Auburn tradition,” Boosinger said. Attendance for last year’s RBD tailgate party was 2,700 students, and the event is growing in popularity, Boosinger said. The party ended with the presentation of one of Auburn’s War Eagles by the Southeastern Raptor Center.
Rebecca Croomes / Assistant Photo Editor
Cyndi Flint, freshman in studio art, and Lawrin Barnard, sophomore in graphic design, discuss subject matter in photographs at the gallery in Biggin Hall Wednesday.
A sight for more eyes Biggin Hall hosts contemporary photography exhibit through Sept. 13 Megan Smith Writer
Auburn students may enjoy the sights, but the picture has already been taken. The art exhibit “Contemporary Photography” in Biggin Hall premiered Aug. 22 and will conclude Sept. 13. The exhibit features the photography of Christa Kreeger Bowden, Sarah Cusimano Miles and Brook Reynolds. Barb Bondy, associate professor of art, was tasked with assembling the exhibit. She said assistant professor Charles Hemard chose the three women who are featured in the exhibit. “Contemporary Photography” introduces art students and the public to different interpretations of digital photography focusing on natural elements. The photography ranges from Reynolds and Miles’ silver gelatin prints to Kreeger’s platinum and palladium prints on vellum. Brooke Patterson, senior in early childhood education, said she enjoyed the opportunity to view the exhibit. “I love using art in the classroom because art allows students to express themselves,” Patterson said. The three artists’ work focuses on different aspects of digital photography, capturing natural elements in a way unique to them as individuals. “I think it’s great to see a collaboration of female artists working together,” said Jessica Bryant, senior in studio art and president of the Association of Visual Arts. “The images in the gallery are thoughtprovoking and beautiful. I think any viewer could walk in and find their own intrigue within the photographs.” Kreeger’s photography
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I think it’s really great to expose Auburn students— and even the staff and the public—to different types of art. I had no idea photographers could do things like that.” —Brooke Patterson Senior, Early Childhood Education
uses a flatbed scanner as a camera, and she also explores alternative and 19thcentury photographic processes. Miles uses her work to convey objects and their connection to the psychology of human experience, while Reynolds’ work focuses on her concerns about the environment and her own connection with nature. “I think it’s really great to expose Auburn students— and even the staff and the public—to different types of art,” Patterson said. “I had no idea photographers could do things like that. It’s really neat.” There will be a closing ceremony Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. Two student art organizations, Studio 5—the art history club—and the Association of Visual Artists, will be hosting the reception. “This is the first time the two have gotten together,” Bondy said. Bryant said the closing reception will be open to the public and refreshments will be served. She said attempts at bringing in the artists to talk prior to the reception are in the works, but nothing has been finalized. The free exhibit is open to students and the public from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on weekdays. “I definitely appreciate learning about what people are capable of as artists,” Patterson said. “I understand wanting to learn from others and wanting to share what I’ve learned. Maybe one day a student of mine will create something as unique.”
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Intrigue B7
The Auburn Plainsman
Costa Rican artisans pulling strings on new bracelet trend Raye May Intrigue Editor
A growing trend that took surfers by storm is now expanding to other parts of the nation. Pura Vida—Spanish for “pure life”—bracelets are one of the newest fashion trends sweeping the country. They came to America when, while visiting Costa Rica, friends Paul Goodman and Griffin Thall met a man named Jorge peddling the bracelets on the street. The two ordered 400 of the simple woven-thread bangles, crafted by Costa Rican artisans, and a business was born. The bracelets are available in a wide variety of styles and colors, from earth tones and neons to platinum beading, and each bracelet is completely waterproof. Goodman and Thall partner with many grassroots movements, including the Surfrider Foundation, which is dedicated to cleaning oceans. Pura Vida Bracelets is also a member of One Percent for the Planet and features a charity line of bracelets, donating $1 out of every $5 spent. Currently, Pura Vida contributes to tsunami relief in Japan, breast cancer awarness and the University of Tennessee Dance Marathon, a nonprofit which benefits the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Hematology and Oncology endowment fund. In addition to donating to world-preservation funds, the company has also taken more than 25 Costa Rican artisans out of poverty, providing them with full-time employment, according to Thall. “Enjoying life slowly, celebrating good fortune and not taking anything for granted embodies the Pura Vida lifestyle,” said Thall, now CEO of Pura Vida Bracelets. Thall said the bracelets are sold in more than 700
Contributed
Pura Vida Bracelets from Costa Rica are available in many colors and styles. retail stores nationwide, as well as in 12 countries. The bracelets make their way onto college campuses through “campus reps.” Auburn campus rep Alexis Totin discovered Pura Vida bracelets this summer while working in Jackson, Wyo. Totin said she met a stranger on the street who was wearing about 100 of the bracelets and stopped everyone who walked by to tell them of the cause. “People don’t even realize how talented these people are, and with the lack of tourism and low-paying jobs, these artists are having trouble making ends,” Totin said. “I think it is great that Pura Vida is helping them out.”
Totin said Pura Vida’s cause is important to her personally because she has spent her life going to beaches and hates to see them polluted. “I think the whole Pura Vida idea is great with the affordable, super-awesome bracelets that give back to some great causes,” Totin said. “I hope as a campus rep I can give the students of Auburn plenty of information about what Pura Vida is all about and get them excited to participate in it themselves.” Thall said campus reps are the core of Pura Vida’s marketing and allow students to join a group of Pura Vida fans who want to be more involved. He said the company
treats its campus reps like family. “It helps keep the brand young and fresh and always evolving,” Thall said. “Campus reps have truly expanded Pura Vida bracelets to the level it is at today.” Thall said he hopes Pura Vida Bracelets will one day expand to every large boutique, department and surf store around the world. “We will also have a full line of products, accessories and clothing,” Thall said. “Every piece will be consistent with our story.” There are two locations in Alabama where Pura Vida bracelets may be purchased, one in Guntersville and another in Mobile. The bracelets can also be purchased at PuraVida.com.
A day long gone, but not forgotten Two students remember their experiences from Sept. 11, 2001 Andrew McCaslin Writer
Ten years have passed, but the memories formed on Sept. 11, 2001, are still fresh in the minds of many. The impacts of the tragic day were not limited to those in the airplanes, the Pentagon or the Twin Towers, but touched people across the nation, including two current Auburn students. Eric Philips, senior in psychology, said he remembers the day he found out his cousin, a firefighter, had died. “My cousin, Joey, was 44 when he died,” Philips said. “He wasn’t even on duty when it happened. He was just that kind of guy … an elite rescuer.” Joey Mascali was stationed at Staten Island when he heard the news, but left to help anyway. Mascali rushed into the South Tower, but never came out again. “I was in third grade,” said
Harry Hadlock, freshman in pre-architecture who lived on Long Island at the time. “One day I came home from school, and my mom told me the towers fell. I didn’t know what that meant, though.” Adults and children alike tried to make sense of and understand the situation. “After the first plane crashed, people were shocked and mystified, wondering what just happened,” Hadlock said. “Then as it started to fall, chaos rose and people from all over the place were running away in fear. Then by the time the second tower started to fall, everyone was running and the cops and firemen were trying to reach the scene.” Hadlock’s father lived only a block away from the towers, but was unharmed. “I knew people who suffered from the loss,” Hadlock said. “It was a tragic day.” Unanswered questions make it difficult for many to move on with their lives, Philips said. “Part of the grieving process for some of the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 is to get questions answered,” Philips said. “It is a permanent scar that will never permanently heal.”
Hadlock returned to school the next day, not noticing much change in his everyday life. “The only major change was the increase of security at the airports,” Hadlock said. “There are now more cops, and people are more aware of threats.” Hadlock plans on returning to New York. “It is a very good place to study the designs of buildings,” Hadlock said. “Plus, it is my home.”
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After the first plane crashed, people were shocked and mystified, wondering what just happened.” —Harry Hadlock Freshman, pre-architecture
Intrigue B8
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, September 8, 2011