The Auburn Plainsman A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID www.theplainsman.com
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Vol. 117, Issue 12, 24 Pages
Keeping WEGL weird Station manager’s push for change faces scrutiny Eric Austin Campus Editor
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EGL station manager Cheeano Cambridge, junior in English, began the semester with a vision of change. He is seeking to expand the listenership of FM 91.1 by streamlining the station’s content and expanding the station’s community presence. However, his big ideas and aggressive approach have created backlash both within and without the station from those who feel WEGL’s traditional college radio identity is being lost. A new direction: Cambridge said he is seeking structure in what he felt was a structureless organization. “You have a person at the top, and then it goes down,” Cambridge said. “You can no longer be competitive with other schools without some kind of structure.” Cambridge has proposed a station model organized around “blocks,” where listeners can expect to hear the same genre of music for a set period of time each day. “If you like jazz, you have a certain time to listen to jazz,” he said. “If you like alternative, we have a time to listen to that. If you like R&B, if you like country, I think we even have that as well.” Within these blocks, he is pushing for his DJs to play at least one “mainstream” song for every few “up-and-coming” songs. Cambridge said he believes this structure will bring in new listeners to a station dominated by indie music. Cambridge’s push for a more streamlined
approach to the station has made waves within WEGL’s studio, leading veteran DJs to believe his vision is a clear move toward molding WEGL into a Top-40 station. In response, a group of DJs have created “Keep WEGL Weird,” with the sensational slogan “Top 40 is Tyranny.” The group’s Facebook page has received more than 800 hits in a week. “College radio, for me, is the ability of any DJ or any student at the station to come on and express themselves by the music they play,” said Alessio Summerfield, sophomore in radio, television and film and a leader of the group. Summerfield and Isaac Lim, junior in computer science, cohost “Elephant with a Mozart Soul” Tuesday nights on WEGL. They assumed leadership of the KWW movement after Rivers Langely, an alumnus, created the group in response to what he saw as a worrisome change in the direction of the station. “He (Cambridge) basically said we don’t want it to be dark and underground,” Lim said. “We need to bring more of the mainstream stuff to compete.” Competition is something Cambridge willingly acknowledged he is trying to address. He said he sees WEGL as an opportunity for students of all majors to receive real radio experience while they are in school. “We’re in college to get a degree and find a job,” Cambridge said. “You create a lab so that once you leave here, you can transfer into corporate America more easily.” Cambridge said he wants to improve the professionalism of the station. He no longer » Turn to WEGL, A2
Auburn mourns death of beloved dean Jillian Clair Associate News Editor
Professionalism, intelligence, passion and personality—these were qualities College of Sciences and Mathematics Dean Marie Wooten embodied. Wooten, an Auburn faculty member since 1987 and newly appointed dean of COSAM, died Nov. 5 after being struck by a vehicle while jogging at the intersection of South Donahue Drive and South College Street. “Marie, in my opinion, was one of the most talented faculty members I’ve ever met,” said Lawrence Wit, associate dean of COSAM. “She was good at everything—whether that was teaching, or her research program, or her outreach to the community at large—everything she did, she did a superb job.” Wooten, who began her tenure as dean Aug. 1, was interested in researching cellular and molecular developmental neurobiology and neurodegeneration and had recently discovered a genetic link between obesity and Alzheimer’s disease. She earned two patents and commercialized one technology. Passionate about women in sciences and mathematics, Wooten also co-founded the Institute for Women in Sciences and Engineering. She also held grants from the National Science Foundation, the American Heart Association, NASA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Despite her accomplishments and numerous responsibilities, Wooten remained humble, approachable, energetic and organized. “She was one of those people that even though she was giving to so many different relationships and so many different commitments, she was never spread too thin,” said Dana Woods, senior in biomedical
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sciences and president of COSAM with you, you were excited about the Leaders. “She was wholeheartedly meeting because you knew it was giving to whatever it was at that gonna be a fun meeting. You could time.” tease and kid her, and she would Wooten cared deeply about un- tease and kid you back. When I think dergraduates, even after she was of Marie, I think of a smiling face.” chosen as dean. When someone young dies unexShaista Walji, junior in molecular pectedly, there is a deep sadness and biology, worked with Wooten in her a sense of lost potential, said Sharon research lab. Roberts, associate professor of bioWhereas most other research labs logical sciences. rely on graduate students to do most However, Roberts said she feels of the research, Walji said Wooten the same sadness when she thinks had a different perspective and en- about Wooten’s death, even though couraged her to not only assist grad- she was 53 years old. uate students, but “All this poto pursue her own tential, all of research as well. these ideas, “I just know perall this excitesonally it’s a loss ment—and now for me because I’ve it’s gone, and it always looked at seems unfair to her as a role modus, and I also el,” Walji said. “She have a sense of was kind of like it being incredthat other motheribly unfair to ly figure over here, Marie,” Roberts where you know, if said. “She had you had any condone so much. cerns or anything, She was lookyou know you ing forward to could go to her.” this, she knew WOOTEN Wooten often what she wantmentioned focused to—I just ing on three P’s—planning, persis- feel like she should have gotten the tence and passion, said Jack Femi- chance. There’s kind of a little sense nella, professor and chair of the almost of anger that way—real disdepartment of biological sciences. appointment.” “There’s a fourth P that I think reBefore her death, Wooten laid ally personifies what Marie is and foundations for many ideas for the what she’s meant—and the fourth P future of COSAM that Wit said are is people,” Feminella said. “Very few important for the college to contindeans have the combination of intel- ue to strive to fulfill. lect, passion and people skills, and “I think she would want us to she had that.” move on with the vision she had, and President Jay Gogue remembers I think that is what everyone’s intenWooten for her energy and humor tion is—that is, to pursue toward exduring meetings, as well as the fresh cellence individually and collectiveideas she presented. ly,” Wit said. “The vision was bigger “The part that I’ll always miss is than herself—it was the institution, her smile and her sense of humor,” and the institution has to pick it up Gogue said. “If she was gonna meet and go on.”
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Emily Adams / PHOTO EDITOR
Erica Meissner and Krissy Voss stand in front of Samford Hall. Both are finalists for a Rhodes Scholarship.
Potential Rhodes scholars compete Liz Conn
Meissner, senior in anthropology with a minor in sustainability, is captain and four-year member of the swim team. “Not only is she a world-class athlete, but she is also a leader among her peers that are doing the same things she is,” said Caleb Rotton, senior in psychology. “I think that sets her apart from anyone I know.” Meissner is working on her honors thesis, and while she has not picked a definite topic, she said her thesis will combine her passions for sustainability and anthropology.
Assistant Copy Editor
Though Erica Meissner and Krissy Voss will soon have Auburn in their rearview mirrors, the “Rhode” ahead is bright. As finalists for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, the two students will interview with district committees Nov. 19-20. Scholarship winners will be announced following the interviews. The Rhodes Scholarship covers tuition and fees and provides a living stipend for two years of study at Oxford University in Oxford, England. Each year, 32 students in the United States receive the award. |
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