3.8.12 edition of the Auburn Plainsman

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A ‘BIG EASY’ MATCHUP Tigers battle the seventh-seeded Ole Miss Rebels Thursday at the SEC tournament in New Orleans

The Auburn Plainsman Thursday, March 8, 2012

New central class facility will replace old buildings

A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID www.theplainsman.com

Vol. 118, Issues 23, 18 Pages

Closing the door on

HATE

Lane Jones CAMPUS BEAT REPORTER

You still have time to get hopelessly lost in Haley Center before it’s replaced. The central classroom facility Program Requirements Committee held a provost’s open forum Feb. 28 to move forward on plans for this major instructional space. “The forum was open to anybody who can come,” said Emmett Winn, associate provost and committee chair. “The topic was an update from the facilities division, which was presented by Dan King. He discussed the master planning process, the central classroom facility, the possibility of a parking garage on the northeast side of campus and a couple smaller items.” One of the goals of the Program Requirements Committee is to replace the outdated buildings on campus. “The central classroom exists because we’re replacing some of the aging facilities—1950s- or ‘60s-era buildings here on campus, like Haley or Parker Hall,” Carroll said. “The central classroom is intended to provide provost-controlled core classroom space so that individual departments do not have to build that space.” The committee, which includes three students—Kirby Turnage, SGA president, Vanessa Tarpos, SGA vice president, and Owen Parrish, SGA president-elect—has interviewed six architectural firms. Jim Carroll, the capital project program architect, is also on the committee. “The central classroom Program Requirements Committee started in September of last year,” Carroll said. “It contains a group of about 18 or 20 people that has gone through a bit of a change between semesters. We have faculty, staff, administration and students—professional representation from across the campus. The Program Re-

» See CLASSROOMS, A2

Student Government Assocation restructures Becky Hardy CAMPUS BEAT REPORTER

Student Govenment Association has more than just adding frozen yogurt to campus in store for next year. Owen Parrish, SGA president-elect, said the organization will be re-examining its programs, projects and positions and figuring out a better structure so that it can operate in a more efficient manner. “Most students are aware of different projects that have already impacted campus life; however, they are unaware that SGA had ownership in them,” said Collier Tynes, SGA chief of staff and junior in public relations. “With the new structure, SGA will listen to the student voice and take on many initiatives that can positively impact campus.” Most of SGA’s organizations dealing with student affairs will be reorganized and put under specific offices on campus by their function, including Tiger Tuesdays, Auburn Dance Marathon and the Beat Bama Food Drive. “AUDM and Beat Bama Food Drive are moving from SGA to the Center for Community Service,” Parrish said. Sarah Beth Worsham, SGA executive vice pres-

» See RESTRUCTURES, A2

REBECCA CROOMES / PHOTO EDITOR

Clockwise from left: Helen Agha, Ashley Edwards, Audrey Ross and Sierra Canty are starting a program called “The Human Touch” to raise awareness about issues of diversity. They were inspired to start the program after an incident occurred in their dorm.

After a derogatory comment was etched on their door, four Sasnett Hall women are standing up against insult Chelsea Harvey CAMPUS EDITOR

For four students, what started as a horrifying experience with racism turned into an opportunity to do something good for Auburn’s campus. Audrey Ross, Ashley Edwards, Helen Agha and Sierra Canty are in the process of creating a program at Auburn that will raise awareness for issues of diversity in response to a Jan. 23 incident that exposed them to intolerance among a fellow student or students. “My roommate Helen and I and Audrey came back one night from going out,” said Edwards, freshman in psychology, “and someone had scratched into our door, ‘I hate you n-words,’ pretty big and obviously.” The vandalized door belonged to Edwards and Agha, sophomore in computer science, who are roommates in Sasnett Hall. Canty was inside her room next door, which she shares with Ross, freshman in mathematics and Spanish, when the incident occurred, but claimed she did not hear anything. “After that we contacted our RA, Jasmine, and she started to write an incident report, and we were advised to call the police,” Edwards said. “So we called the City of Auburn police, and the police officer came and the experience we had with him wasn’t too good. “He didn’t seem like he wanted to make a report. We had to ask him about three times, you know, to write the report, because he kept saying that there was nothing he could do for us.” Ross said the person who committed the offense was never found. “And that’s kind of what’s scary, is that we live there and we have no idea who did that,” Ross said.

DIVERSITY BY THE NUMBERS Enrollment numbers for 2011 Hispanic

662

Asian or Pac. Island

511

Nonresident Alien

1,076

Amer. Ind. or Alaskan

Unknown

291

165

Black

1,935

White

20,829

Enrollment numbers for 1976–2006 30,000

20,550 10,000

White

5,500 2,000

Quad

1,500 550

Hill

150 50 1976-1977

1986-1987

1996-1997

2006-2007

» See RACISM, A2

CAMPUS // A4

COMMUNITY // A7

INTRIGUE // B6

Facilities asks for input on Campus Master Plan

‘On Golden Pond’ comes to Auburn

Melody’s Most Fashionable

Auburn Area Community Theatre will hold auditions for its spring production of “On Golden Pond.”

A guide on what to wear during spring break

Facilities Management has released a survey for the Auburn community to help decide the priorities for the 2012 Comprehensive Campus Master Plan.

INSIDE Campus » A1 | Community » A6 | Opinions » A8 | Classifieds » A10 | Sports » B1 | Intrigue » B5

Recycled paper

Campus A2

The Auburn Plainsman

RACISM » From A1

Ross said she and her suitemates had never experienced any incidents with other people in the dorm before the occurrence. Edwards said the experience took a positive turn when University administrators began to get involved. “Helen’s and my mom contacted the school, and so we were then reached out to by the housing director, Ms. Becky (Bell), and they asked to meet with all of us,” Edwards said. “And then we began to talk about … the steps we wanted to take next.” In communication with several departments on campus, the students have now begun to develop a program they hope will respond to the issues raised by the January incident. They have decided to call it The Human Touch, a name sug-

CLASSROOM » From A1

quirements Committee is a group that’s been taking a lot of effort on initial research for a central classroom.” The committee’s current objective is to recommend an architect to join the team. Parrish said they will go to the Board of Trustees in April with a recommendation for the architectural and design firm. “Depending on where the structure goes, there will be some opportunities for involvement for students,” Parrish said. “It will hopefully be an open process in deciding where the building goes and what it looks like though a provost open forum. We’re looking hopefully at the next couple of years, potentially 2013 or 2014 for the construction of the building, but that’s a very loose timeline.” Carroll said planning for the central classroom facility

gested by Shakeer Abdullah, director of the Multicultural Center, and inspired by a line in the Auburn Creed. “Pretty much above all, I guess we just want to foster a campus that is aware of differences but also embraces them,” Edwards said. “You know, a campus that I guess really lives up to the family name and doesn’t make anyone feel uncomfortable for any sort of way they choose to identify themselves by, whether it be skin color or gender or sexuality or if someone has a disability. Just all these things that make us us, we need to embrace them as a family.” The women have had several meetings with various campus representatives, including Abdullah and Bell, director of Residence Life, to come up with ideas for how the program should be structured and what goals to accomplish. “What they’re looking to

do is create a program that allows students and staff to be proactive in raising awareness in issues of diversity,” Abdullah said. “It will probably be housed within multiple departments, not particularly here in the Multicultural Center.” Ross said she hopes to gain support and create leadership positions for the program by next fall, which is when she hopes to host the program’s first big event. “And then from that we can develop the program that we’ve been talking about, which is going to be some month-long program that will deal with a specific topic for the month, and upon completion members would get some sort of recognition,” Ross said. Edwards said one way the group hopes to gain support is by hosting a Concourse pledge. “The idea was to create an actual tangible pledge against

has been a steady process. “The Program Requirements Committee was originally convened to handle quite a few things, including the selection of a recommendation of an architectural design team to complete the programming and to do the design of the facility,” Carroll said. “We have another subcommittee that has been evaluating sites on campus to recommend to the Board of Trustees. We have another subcommittee that has been evaluating informational and structural technology needs within the building. That’s the type of effort that we’ve been going through on the largescale Program Requirements Committee.” Carroll said they plan to add classroom space before tearing any buildings down. “It’s really not our intent to come here and say the first thing we’re gonna do is tear down Haley, and then we’re going to build a new building

and displace all the students. We really can’t do that,” Carroll said. “We have to work with the population as we have it now by providing new facilities and then seeing if we can replace these outdated facilities at a later time.” Carroll said the goal for the facility is to allow students to excel and to provide newer, flexible, interactive spaces that support new teaching styles. Parrish said they are considering new pedagogies and the way a classroom will look 30 years from now. “We’re looking for a new classroom facility that’s going to be the very newest technology,” Parrish said. “We’re looking 50 years into the future for a building that will not be like the Haley Center 50 years from now. The Haley Center is about 40 years old, and 40 years from now none of us want there to be a building that we’re ready to get off campus as much as the Haley Center.”

Thursday, March 8, 2012

discrimination in the Auburn family,” Edwards said. “So you have this idea where … we create a pledge that pretty much says that ‘I pretty much love my brothers and sisters in Auburn. I’m not going to treat them in any disrespectful way,’ and then people are signing it, and so hopefully we’ll have an actual pledge with hopefully hundreds of students who have committed to that idea.” Ross said they hope the program will become a lasting part of Auburn University. “We haven’t got the specifics yet, so we don’t know really what our final product is,” Ross said. “I guess we’re kind of steering away from organization and sticking more with the administration side of it and to kind of a department which is a collaboration of multiple departments. But we definitely want it to be something that lives beyond just even our time here and keep it going.”

RESTRUCTURES » From A1

ident of prgorams and junior in agriculture communication, said they love each of these programs and know they will thrive more if they are served through other areas of the Auburn student involvement office. Tiger Tuesdays, the freshman leadership program directed by SGA, will move to the Center for Leadership and Ethics. “We believe moving Tiger Tuesdays away from student government will allow for more freshman organizations to be created with the increasing demand for more freshman involvement,” Worsham said. By letting these organizations fall under different management that specialize in programming and philanthropy specifically, these or-

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Ross said she thinks cooperation with campus representatives will help keep the program alive. “I think that’s kind of what sets us apart from other programs is our connection with the administration,” Ross said. “Because we have all these different ideas—like when we have our meetings, we’re getting people who have really relevant experience with issues like this. “We’re getting Shakeer, who has this training in a bunch of different training programs, and he’s got these outlines. And Becky’s got connections with Residence Life and how to get this going with the halls around here. “So I think that everybody has a very relevant position in this, and I think to make it a more useful program you’ve got to expand it.” Ross said what began as a negative experience has been

“

I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow man and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness to all.” —The Auburn Creed met with a positive reaction. “We are so thrilled of the people that we’re involved with now,” Ross said. “I don’t think we could really ask for more support because they seem just as excited about this program as we are. I think every time that we talk with them, we get more hopeful about what this program could become.”

ganizations will be able to accomplish more, Parrish said. “This way the organization can get better resources and better opportunities to provide for their needs better than what SGA can give them,” Parrish said. Along with reorganizing its programs, SGA hopes to stick to the message behind their mission statement. “We also want to make sure that we are focusing our efforts on what we are expected to do as a governing body for students,” Worsham said. “By serving fewer projects and more initiatives we believe we can be a more effective SGA that can better impact student life.” SGA also hopes these changes will make it more accessible to students. “We see that by placing a heavy focus on initiatives and fewer programs it will allow us as a SGA to focus on EDITORIAL Miranda dollarhide Editor-in-chief Madeline hall Managing editor Nikolas Markopoulos Copy editor Nick Bowman Associate copy editor Laura Hobbs Assistant copy editor Rebecca Croomes Photo editor Christen Harned Assistant photo Danielle Lowe Assistant photo Chelsea harvey Campus editor Lane Jones Campus reporter Becky Hardy Campus reporter Kate Jones Intrigue editor Hayley Blair Intrigue reporter Kristen Oliver Community editor Alison McFerrin Community reporter Coleman McDowell Sports editor Robert E. Lee Sports reporter Patrick Tighe Sports reporter Sarah Newman Design team leader Rachel Suhs Design team Melody Kitchens Online team leader Victoria Rodgers Online team Nick Bowman

Opinions editor

ADS Stephanie Garner, Lorenzo Lane, Courtney Marinak, Stacey McMahan, Jasef Wisener

ENJOY YOUR SPRING BREAK!

Account Executives Tiffany Middleton, Julya Welch, Ashley Selby, Allison Braund Advertising design

what students’ needs are,” Tynes said. “This will happen by more students working on initiatives that directly affect student life.” The five executive officers, three elected and two appointed, as well as the Office of Student Involvement will be making these changes starting next semester. “The goal of the reconstruction is to not limit the programs,” Parrish said. “We want to let the individual programs grow as they choose.” Parrish said with fewer organizations for SGA to manage, the association can better serve students and their purposes. “By refocusing on programs and initiatives that a governing body should take charge of, we can give every project the attention, manpower and funding it needs to reach its highest potential,” Tynes said.

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

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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Professor co-authors free online strategic management textbook Sydney Callis WRITER

Auburn business professor Dave Ketchen was tired of seeing students drain their bank accounts buying expensive textbooks, so he wrote his own and made it available for free. “Textbooks are ridiculously overpriced in most cases,” Ketchen said. “We were approached by a new publisher who was interested in a different business model where students would be able to read the book online for free.” Ketchen and his co-author, Jeremy Short, a business professor at the University of Oklahoma, worked with the publisher Flat World Management to write “Mastering Strategic Management,” a textbook for strategic management courses. “It was really appealing to us because we were students once, and we had humble upbringings,” Ketchen said. “Finding the money to buy textbooks was difficult, and we wanted to create a good book that students could read for free.” Strategic management is a required course for all business students at universities across the country, including Auburn, Ketchen said. The textbook was released Dec. 23, but is not currently being used for strategic management courses at Auburn because it was not publicized until January, after the semes-

Campus A3

The Auburn Plainsman

CONTRIBUTED

Professor Dave Ketchen’s textbook deals with various facets of strategic management, such as managing resources. The book is available for free online and a hardcopy can be bought for $35.

ter had already begun. The textbook is available for free online, but students can buy a black-and-white hardcopy for $35. Color copies are available for $60, and it can also be purchased and downloaded to an iPad or other tablet for $35. “The typical strategic management textbook costs $150, so that gives an idea of how much money textbook companies are making off of stu-

dents,” Ketchen said. Ketchen and Short first met when Short was pursuing his doctorate at Louisiana State University. He took a class taught by Ketchen, and the two have since collaborated on four textbooks and graphic novel textbooks. Short said they wanted to write a textbook that was not “a snooze-fest.” To do so, they incorporated lots of visual aspects to appeal to students

and help them learn the material. “Lots of folks today are visual learners—they learn through pictures as much as words,” Ketchen said. “We have concept pages that are basically visual displays that highlight and illustrate the concepts.” Short credits their past writing experience for creating a visually stimulating textbook. “I don’t know if we would have been able to create a more interesting textbook if we didn’t have the experience of creating the graphic novels first,” Short said. Ketchen said he hopes his textbook will outsell one of the premier strategic management textbooks written by Arthur Thompson and A.J. Strickland III, two professors at the University of Alabama. Their textbook, “Crafting & Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage,” retails for $175. “To me, this is the ‘Iron Bowl enters the textbook arena,’ and I’m going to enjoy taking their lunch money,” Ketchen said. Ketchen and Short’s textbook is available online at the Flat World Knowledge website, flatworldknowledge. com. “There’s no adds, no popups, no silliness like that,” Ketchen said. “You can just read the textbook online for free.”

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Building science teams place in national competition Abigail O’Brien WRITER

Abandoning the usual PowerPoint-assisted coat and tie presentation, one of five Auburn building science teams decided on a more direct approach at the Associated Schools of Construction’s National Electric Competition. “We walked in there … and laid it on the line,” said Alex Behringer, senior in building science. “We took a huge risk.” Behringer was the team leader of the Auburn group that won first place in the competition Feb. 8–11 in Sparks, Nev. Instead of preparing a formal presentation with a PowerPoint slideshow, the team took a table, butted it up against the judges’ own and presented their project eyeto-eye. Mark Tatum, coach of the first place team and associate professor of building science, said the team’s decision for the presentation was “totally unrehearsed, unpracticed, not even talked about.” Tatum said teams at the competition usually present formally using technology. However, simple face-to-face meetings for design proposals are more common in real

DANIELLE LOWE / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Auburn’s graduate building science team placed second at the Associated Schools of Construction’s National Electric Competition, which took place Feb. 8-11.

world situations, he said. The six-member winning team consisted of Behringer, Wesley Sims, Bradley Clark, Kelly Kennamer, Drew Scott and Bentley Windle, all seniors in building science. Behringer said they decided to focus on their strength— knowledge of the project— rather than a glossy presentation. “When we walked into the room … people in the room, their eyes were as big as the moon,” Behringer said regarding their decision. When the team was an-

nounced as the winner, Kennamer said the judges specifically praised their presentation format. The competition requirements included a 149-page prequalification booklet, written proposal and oral presentation. Teams were tasked with creating a fictitious company, staffing it and presenting a thorough design proposal, Tatum said. “It’s a dash,” Behringer said. “We don’t get time in between. It’s like a total absorption of what’s in that project.” Behringer said the team was

thankful to have Tatum’s design background to better execute a well-rounded product. “We were able to … apply our knowledge from here to the construction aspect and apply the knowledge that we got from Tatum on a design aspect and kind of meet in the middle,” Behringer said. For many of the team members, the competition is not only a way to flesh out what they’ve learned in the classroom, but also to network for jobs. Clark was recently hired by PCL Industrial Construction,

a company he first met at a regional competition in Hoover and again in Reno, Nev. “If you’re looking for a job and you need something to put on a resume, to win first place at a national competition … that’s a big deal,” Sims said. The team said it was especially important that they learn to trust each other and delegate responsibilities. “It’s nice … when you get overwhelmed to realize that five other people in the room know what they’re doing,” Sims said. “Where you’re weak … you got five other people who can pick up that slack.” Behringer said they worked hard to make sure every team member could help if someone stumbled during the presentation. “We specifically made sure that for every point that we would’ve had to touch on, that two people would be able to be responsible,” Behringer said. Auburn’s graduate team, coached by Mike Thompson, visiting industry professional, and Paul Holley, professor of building science, placed second in the graduate category. Thompson, along with Mike Hosey, instructor of building science, additionally coached

the team for the preconstruction services category, which also placed second. Kasey Entrikin, master’s student in integrated design and construction, said the graduate team focused on excelling above the standards set out for them. “They basically gave us an outline,” Entrikin said. “They set a bunch of … constraints and goals that we had to meet or build within. I thought that was extremely valuable.” One constraint was to include 750 beds in the $79 million student housing project they were tasked with designing. Entrikin said the team’s proposal included not only more beds, but a higher quality project. Holley said the differing backgrounds of the graduate team members created a diverse dynamic. Of the four team members, Washington State, LSU, Alabama and the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee undergraduate programs were all represented. “So in a sense they are drawing from their undergraduate experience at a different alma mater, but on the other hand they’re representing Auburn at a graduate capacity,” Holley said.

Campus A4

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, March 8, 2012

SGA uses budget to host events, fund student organizations This week, the Auburn Plainsman continues its examination of Student Activity Projects Becky Hardy CAMPUS BEAT REPORTER

Student Government Association provides for campus in more ways than one. “A lot of our programming comes from our budget as well,” said Curry Stevenson, SGA treasurer and senior in civil engineering. “There’s a lot of important things in our budget from different areas.” This year SGA received $303,432.72 from the Student Activity Project budget, which is drawn from student fees. The organization uses its budget to provide students with opportunities like higher education days and collegiate

leadership programs, which provide services for students such as copies of USA Today and Birmingham News. The budget also pays for textbooks for all core classes that are available in the library and contributes funds to the University’s graduate school programs. “We also have legislative affairs that lobby in Montgomery,” Stevenson said. “There is a full-time lobbyist in Montgomery that lobbies for higher education for the state.” SGA sets aside $30,000 each year for student organizations, which must apply through the organizational board of the SGA senate for funds. “Any registered campus organization can come ask for money,” Stevenson said. “Each organization gets a varied amount of money depending on how much they can provide for themselves.” SGA holds approximately 30 events each semester, including programming events, Tiger Tuesdays and initiative forums. “The largest event with re-

gard to participation is The Big Event, which receives student fee allocation as well as national grants and sponsorships from corporations,” Stevenson said. Although SGA’s events can be expensive, many are selffunded. “Events such as Hey Day, Fall 5K, the High School Leadership Conference are selffunded through T-shirt sales and outside sponsorships,” Stevenson said. The majority of SGA’s budget goes toward student representation, promoting student issues and concerns and providing student services, Stevenson said. SGA’s spirit program is the most expensive item in the budget, costing $37,800. “We provide shakers for all the football games on campus,” Stevenson said. “It also includes pep rallies and events and all the supplies that comes along with that. Especially last year being the SEC champs, we had to provide more shakers for the fans.” Only a small portion of the

CHRISTEN HARNED / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

SGA President-elect Owen Parrish meets with Wesley Clendinen, senator from the College of Agriculture.

budget goes to member salaries. “Only our five executive officers get paid,” Stevenson said. “The president, VP, treasurer, executive VP and chief of staff.” Each staff member is paid $250 per month. The five executive officers

also attend an annual student government conference hosted by Texas A&M Univerisity, and the trip is funded by the SGA budget. “We pay for that through revenue that we make through programs and outlets, where we don’t need student fees for

it,” Stevenson said. SGA is open to all students and doesn’t require fees. “We promote the individual students and we provide leadership opportunities,” Stevenson said. “We impact the commitment of involvement and enhance student life.”

Facilities Management asks for input on Campus Master Plan Robert E. Lee SPORTS BEAT REPORTER

Students, staff and alumni now have more of a say in the future of Auburn’s campus. Facilities Management has released a survey for the Auburn University community to help decide the priorities for the Comprehensive Campus Master Plan. The survey is available online at auburn. edu/administration/facilities until March 23. “A master plan needs to tie to the University strategic plan,” said Tom Tillman, di-

rector of planning and space management. “Every project that’s constructed should have some justification and some relationship with the mission of the University. We were trying to discover where the interest is among students, faculty and staff and tried to make sure the interest of everyone was addressed. We’re trying to involve more people than we did before.” The first master plan was adopted in 2002. “It’s a plan that actually manages physical change on

the campus,” Tillman said. “It serves as a framework for future campus development. The master plan that we have was approved by the Board of Trustees in 2002. They also mandated that it be upgraded at least once every five years. We had an update in 2007, and this is the second update.” Gail Riese, communication and marketing specialist for Facilities Management, said the survey will help determine the plan’s final priority list. “This input will be submitted to the president for presen-

tation to the Board of Trustees for its consideration in establishing the final priorities for the master plan 2012 update,” Riese said. “We want to invite feedback and participation throughout the master planning update process to ensure we hear all ideas.” The survey allows respondents to choose six items they believe are top priorities for implementation, including academic buildings in the core of campus, student housing, athletic and sporting events and campus transportation.

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The board will then develop a draft with the top priorities to be used on the master plan. Tillman said a master plan committee will be used to help determine the plan’s goals. “We will have a master planning consultant that works with us, and there will be a committee that is appointed,” Tillman said. “It has a couple of dozen members that represent the main constituents on campus, such as SGA. The committee will serve as the contact point for the consultant.

“Over the next 10 or 12 months, the committee will meet to gain information first and then come back with some proposals.” Before the drafting of a master plan, Tillman said projects were planned individually. “The one that was adopted in 2002 was the first one that I’m aware that the board has ever adopted,” Tillman said. “The master plan tries to look forward and forecast all the growth we can anticipate. It looks at a whole agenda instead of just one project.”

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Campus A5

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Engineering professor brings bit of Denmark to Auburn Coleman McDowell SPORTS EDITOR

Chemical engineering professor Mario Eden didn’t plan on staying in Auburn. Attending college in Lyngby, Denmark, Eden traveled to Auburn in 2001 as part of his doctoral studies at the Technical University of Denmark. Eden spent nine months in Auburn studying with professor Mahmoud El-Halwagi before he returned to Denmark. A few months after Eden’s departure, El-Halwagi left his position at Auburn University for a position at Texas A&M University, and the chemical engineering department reached out to Eden to teach his courses for two semesters. Eden had to convince his doctoral advisers to allow him to leave school again after only

being home for six months. “I went to teach those two semesters; I had no plans of becoming a professor at all,” Eden said. “I was just trying to help out a department that had been very good to me. I got a huge part of my Ph.D. research done here, and I know I wouldn’t have had as good of a dissertation if I hadn’t been here.” Eden taught the two semesters at Auburn, and during this time he applied for a tenuretrack faculty job with the University. After being offered the position, he returned to Denmark for six months to finish his dissertation and moved permanently to Auburn in 2004. Eden called his road to becoming a professor “untraditional.”

“Most of my colleagues applied to 15–20 schools and got 10 offers and then had to decide which one to pick,” Eden said. “I only applied here. If I was going to be a professor, it was going to be here.” If Auburn had turned Eden down, he said he would have returned to Denmark and gotten a “real job” at a refinery in process engineering, or taken a consulting position like many of his classmates. Spending close to 18 months in Auburn as a teacher, in addition to several trips he had taken to the U.S. as a graduate student, eased Eden’s permanent transition to Auburn. What does Eden miss when he goes home? “I miss my AC, and I miss having ice makers every-

where,” Eden said. “I miss free refills on sodas, the cheap cars and the cheap gas.” Even though Eden grew up in Denmark, he said his fellow professors claim he is more American than they are. “There are a few food items I miss from Denmark, but there’s nothing I really need when I’m here except for my family and friends,” Eden said. That doesn’t stop his mother from wanting him to return to his hometown. “My mom still wants me to come home and get a job at the local power plant or something, but I jokingly tell her it’s half the salary and double the taxes; that’s really not that interesting to me,” Eden said. Eden is teaching the Capstone Senior Design class this semester, is the chair of the

CHRISTEN HARNED / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Chemical engineering professor Mario Eden, who was born in Denmark, said Auburn was the only place he wanted to teach.

chemical engineering graduate program and oversees many undergraduate and graduate students in his labs. Department chair Christopher Roberts said Eden has made an impact at every level of the chemical engineering department.

“I am particularly impressed with his ability to seamlessly make highly meaningful and highly impactful contributions to every level of our department,” Roberts said, adding that Eden is the benchmark of what a faculty member should strive to be.

Community

A6

www.theplainsman.com

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Community

Local store helps community prepare for emergencies Alison McFerrin COMMUNITY BEAT REPORTER

Tornado sirens and AU Alerts indicate a time to take action, but a group in Opelika is urging people not to wait until it’s too late to prepare for emergency situations. “The reason our store exists is to help the general public prepare in the event of any weather-related emergency or some sort of systemic problem with electricity,” said Steve Saia. “There is a great need for us to be prepared.” Saia and his business partner David James own Eastwood Solutions, a company that sells emergency and survival products at USA Town Center in Opelika. The store features items like wool blankets, solar lanterns and water purifiers—all items Saia said peo-

Preschool teacher helps special needs children Ali Jenkins WRITER

Like many college students, Laura Perry wasn’t sure what career she would end up in after graduating, but she was certain of one thing: it wouldn’t involve children. Seven and a half years later, however, Perry is the lead teacher of The Little Tree’s classrom for 3- and 4-year-old children, and she said she couldn’t be happier.

ple should have on hand in case of an emergency. “You’re drilling down to the basic survival things,” Saia said. Eastwood Solutions also features preparedness classes most Thursdays at 6 p.m. “We take questions from the people that show up and we share information,” Saia said. “We are a learning organization. We want to teach people.” James, who is also the headmaster at Eastwood Christian School in Opelika, said personal experience with bad situations is what drove them to start the business and the classes. “It’s cold, dark, you’re hungry and you’re miserable,” James said. “I’ve done it. I don’t like it. I think you ought to be prepared for anything.” Saia said they’re not talking about The Little Tree is a nonprofit preschool that prepares children for primary school with a focus on improving everyday functions in those with autism spectrum disorders. “In college, I knew that I definitely did not want to work with kids,” Perry said. “I did not think I could do it. I was going for industrial organizational psychology, then I changed to clinical psychology as the focus I was going to go toward, and then last semester my last year at school I decided I wanted to know more about autism and work with autism. “In fact, someone earlier had said that I could finish the degree for (applied behavior analysis) in a year and I was like, ‘No, I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to work with special needs kids. What would I do with them?’ And then I worked with them and I really liked it. I got to know more

the end of the world, but rather just being prepared for any potential emergency. “There’s going to be two groups of people that survive any emergency event,” Saia said. “You’re going to have the folks that have made an effort to prepare … They will be somewhat comfortable … But the other group that has made no effort to prepare at all will be most miserably, assuredly uncomfortable.” T Speir, emergency response team volunteer with Lee County Emergency Management Agency, said that’s what her family found out in the wake of Hurricane Gilbert. “We had no water; we had nothing that we could cook with,” Speir said. “It was rather an adventure. You never realize how foolish it is not to plan for an emergency when you have an

about ABA and I really liked ABA. It makes sense, it’s effective, and that’s why I continued in that direction.” ABA is an autism treatment system based on the theory that behaviors can be taught through a system of rewards and consequences. “It essentially means that we analyze behaviors,” Perry said. “We figure out what’s causing those behaviors, whether it’s maintaining something that they want or whether it’s making something go away that they didn’t want around. “Judging from what’s keeping those behaviors happening, we tweak the situation so that we can change the behavior.” Perry has been with The Little Tree since its establishment in August 2005. The school’s program director, Leigh Ann Strain, said Perry’s longterm commitment is a testament

opportunity.” Saia said loss of electricity is often what drives the need to prepare. “When the electricity goes out— whether it’s from a tornado or just straight-line winds—when you lose electricity, if you think about it, you’re going to rapidly lose everything else,” Saia said. Saia suggests making sure to prepare to cover basic needs like shelter and clean food and water. Eastwood Solutions sells products that address each need, like water purifiers. “If you boil impure water, you’re going to have cooked microbes and cysts and pathogens,” Saia said. Although boiling will kill such organisms, rendering them harmless, it won’t remove them from water. “Add a little salt and spices and you’ve got yourself a pathogen soup,”

to her passion for the children she teaches year after year. “She has a real love for these children and what’s here,” Strain said. “She’s been here for years, and you can tell within the classroom of the excitement that she gets when the children are acquiring skills and incorporating lessons.” Despite her early skepticism, Perry said she now finds joy in helping children. “I would say one of the best (teaching experiences) is a kid that we started doing in-home services with when he was 2,” she said. “When he started, he wasn’t able to talk; he didn’t look you in the eye; he didn’t really have very much receptive language either, like understanding you. “When he left, he was talking in full sentences. We’ve got a video of him just having a conversation with the therapist that he was working with.”

Saia said. “But with the filters they’re gone.” Speir said she keeps bottled water, a portable gas stove and dehydrated food on hand. “When I go to the grocery store, I buy two of whatever I need,” Speir said. “I buy one and put it up … I’m an emergency planner. If something’s going to happen, I’d like to have some toothpaste, thank you very much.” The March 1 preparedness class featured an in-ground tornado shelter. March 8 will center on addressing the four basic survival issues. “Once you give up your ability to prepare, you will perish,” James said, adding that the current state of the economy is troubling to him. “As gas goes up, food goes up, (the)

» See PREPARE, A7

CHRISTEN HARNED / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Laura Perry, teacher at The Little Tree preschool, helps autistic students by analyzing their behavior.

Fine-dining restaurants cover Auburn, Opelika area Alison McFerrin COMMUNITY BEAT REPORTER

Students may have to wait for a visit from mom and dad to eat at the topnotch restaurants in the surrounding area, but when the day arrives it’s vital to know where to go. Jimmy’s in downtown Opelika focuses on New Orleans fare, but don’t think that means spicy. “We don’t do Cajun,” said Jimmy Sikes, owner and chef. “That’s not New Orleans.” Offering instead a Creole menu, Jimmy’s features dishes like shrimp and grits, steaks and jambalaya, all with a high level of service. “The finer the dining, also the finer the service,” Sikes said. “The fate of your kitchen is in the hands of the person who puts the food down. If they slam it on the table, the food’s automatically not as good, even though it is.” Fine dining is as much about ser-

vice as it is about the food, price or atmosphere. “We don’t ever have to walk out and ask a person what they’re eating,” said Andrew Harris, who claimed the well-trained table staff is part of what makes Maestro 2300 fine dining. “We know what every single person in the dining room is having at any given time.” Maestro 2300, at 2300 Moore’s Mill Road, was the brainchild of Harris’ uncle, who wanted to open a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant after his travels through Europe. “Our classical thing that we do is we take a lot of their food style preparation and then use our Southern ingredients,” Harris said. “They use a Tuscan white bean soup; we use our white beans here, and instead of kale—what they would put in it—we put collard greens.” Harris said they focus on food quality, with everything being “ex-

tremely fresh to order.” “We don’t do sheet pans of crab cakes and stick in a holder somewhere then take them out and stick them in the oven,” Harris said. “Everything’s cooked from scratch, made from scratch.” Sikes said Jimmy’s also focuses on fresh, quality food—and plenty of it. “If you order 12 shrimp and you need two more, just tell us,” Sikes said. “Another potato? OK. Virtually no restaurant says that … We’re going to give you what we think you need. We assume you’re going to order an appetizer or a salad or a soup or something and a main course and a dessert. If you do that, you’re going to have two pounds of food, which is a lot. But if you need two and a half pounds, raise your hand. We’ll give you some more.” In downtown Auburn, Zazu Gastropub bridges the gap between fine dining and a more casual dining ex-

perience. “It’s got the best of both words— trying to keep the fine dining aspect but trying not to have that stuffy feeling,” said manager Scott Warren. “We don’t really have the white tablecloth atmosphere anymore that we used to have.” Zazu transitioned to a more casual atmosphere a few years ago when owner and chef Graham Hage wanted to attract more of the college crowd. While food and good service are still a focus, the restaurant also features live bands, trivia and open mic nights. Of course, quality food still gets the spotlight. Warren said one of their best-selling appetizers is the shrimp and cornbread waffles. “Instead of doing shrimp and grits, which everybody does, (Hage) does a cornmeal, Belgian-style waffle with three shrimp on there, and he does a homemade Andouille pepper cream sauce,” Warren said. “That one by far

and away outsells everything.” Maestro 2300 shares not only a similar entree (shrimp and polenta, a dish with Spanish ingredients and a Southern preparation style), but also provides a mix between fine dining and casual. The bar area is completely separate from the dining room and might feature an Auburn game on TV or live, local bands. “In the dining room it’s much more low-key,” Harris said. “The dining is very specific, (and) the acoustics were something we really really harped on … We really wanted to keep our dining room acoustically sound, so if there’s 50 people in there or five people in there … to be able to have a nice, peaceful kind of feel to it and a very refined kind of feel to it.” The room features sound absorbing details like hanging curtains and

» See DINING, A7

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Community A7

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, February 16, 2012

‘On Golden Pond’ comes to Auburn area Alison McFerrin COMMUNITY BEAT REPORTER

For those who’ve been wondering what to do with the next eight weeks of their lives, Auburn Area Community Theatre has the answer: work with “On Golden Pond.� Director Steve Bice said most people are probably familiar with the movie featuring Katharine Hepburn and Henry and Jane Fonda.

“The play is very intimate,� Bice said. “Basically, in a nutshell, it’s a love story between two people.� Lori McCormack, artistic board member, described the show as “heartwarming.� “It is a happy ending, and you think maybe it’s not going to be a happy ending, but it turns out that everybody learns how to get along and make things good again,� McCormack said. The play features a sixmember cast, but Bice said he isn’t just looking for six actors. The production also requires a stage manager and people to operate the lights, sell tickets and make contacts for publicity.

“There’s no job that’s unimportant,� McCormack said. “Everything has a position.� Bice said finding actors isn’t even always at the top of the priority list. “What I’m looking for as a director is not only a cast, but team players: people who will want to come out and put on a show,� Bice said. Auditions are March 13–15 at 6 p.m. at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Acting roles to be cast are the main elderly characters Ethel and Norman Thayer, along with their daughter Chelsea, her boyfriend, their 13-yearold son and the mailman. This show will end AACT’s ninth year, and McCormack

ple should just bring their enthusiasm. “I am very low-key and laidback when it comes to auditions,� Bice said. “(Auditioning) can be really stressful, and I look for heart. I don’t look for talent. I look for something that is innate in a person in their personality.� Bice said auditions will consist of introductions, a reading and maybe a few games. He said it’s important to realize that auditions are not a competition. “We try to paint pictures with people, and we are ultimately telling a story,� Bice said. “That commitment is what I’m looking for more than anything else.�

‘ON GOLDEN POND’ AUDITION Auditions for the Auburn Area Community Theatre’s “On Golden Pond� will be held March 13–14 from 6–8 p.m. at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Callbacks will be March 15 from 6–8 p.m. No experience is necessary. Stage managers, costumes and technical crews are also needed.

DINING

define

Fashion Week 3/9 Auburn â– The Blue Shoe

refines

2 AUBURN LOCATIONS 814A Annalue Drive #FET t (Corner of Dean and Annalue)

said the opportunities it provides to the community are what make community theatre valuable. “It helps you socialize with a different group of people,� McCormack said. “It helps you be artistic in a way that a lot of people don’t get in contact with. Even if you’re backstage, it’s about helping to produce a great piece of work.� Bice described the main characters, the Thayers, as “full of vitality.� He said he’s been doing research in preparation for the production. “I’ve been observing older people,� Bice said. “I heard the other day that 80 is the new 60, and I believe it.� For auditions, Bice said peo-

1499-C South College St. #FET t

CALENDAR: FRIDAY, MARCH 9 – FRIDAY, MARCH 23

AACT to hold auditions for spring production

■12–5 p.m.

Auburn Fashion Week

■Maestro 2300 ■6–9 p.m.

of Freedom – Last Day 3/10 Promises ■Jule Collins Smith Museum

â– Museum hours Second Saturday

■Lee County Historical Society Museum ■10 a.m.–3 p.m. Golden Pond’ Auditions 3/13 ‘On ■Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center

â– Mar. 13-15, 6 p.m.

and Fashion Expo 3/17 Hair â– Event Center Downtown

■7–10 p.m.

Concert Series – Louise Mosrie 3/23 Sundilla ■Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

â– 7:30 p.m.

PT-30509

Âť From A6

a second drop ceiling. Sikes said Jimmy’s resulted from a community poll of what locals wanted in a downtown restaurant. With so much positive response, he decided to make a go of it. “We get more business every year,� Sikes said. “The first year I knew 95 percent of the people who walked in the door. Now I’ll know 15 or 20.�

PREPARE Âť From A6

ability to prepare goes down ‌ If you don’t prepare today, you won’t have the funds to prepare tomorrow.â€? Speir also said the struggling economy necessitates preparation—retaining the means to help yourself when the government can’t. “If you fail to plan then that’s exactly what you will get,â€? Speir said. “You will get failure.â€?

Opinions Thursday, March 8, 2012

A8 www.theplainsman.com

Community

Our View

Scrap the randomly enforced traffic rule

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“

“… I would hope

that people would have more respect for the environment there that they wouldn’t create any visual clutter or visual pollution.” —Tom Tillman Director, University Planning

THE PLAINSMAN POLL Vote at theplainsman.com

Alison McFerrin NEWS@ THEPLAINSMAN.COM

My fiance and I were discussing our plans for Friday, and at one point he suggested I could pick him up from campus. And then he added darkly, “Of course, I don’t know where on campus.” We had recently been warned students weren’t allowed to drop off or pick up students in the Quad Center circle. But I, innocently ignorant, said, “Oh, I can just pick you up in front of the library or in the stadium parking deck.” He shook his head: “Didn’t you get the email?” I hadn’t checked it yet, but when I did I found the email sent from parking services to all students. It contained this gem of information: “C permits are specifically NOT ALLOWED in the core of campus between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays during academic sessions. City of Auburn Police Department and Auburn University Department of Public Safety and Security have authority to stop a moving vehicle within central campus that does not display a current Auburn University parking permit.” They added this information to that quote from the Auburn University Parking Rules and Regulations. “If a vehicle is observed in central campus without a permit or with an inappropriate permit, the driver will be issued a citation.” Did you catch all that? A moving vehicle. You can’t even drive down Mell Street if it’s 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Not if you only have a C-zone pass, or no pass. Let’s count and see how many people that is. In short, I find this ridiculous. I’m usually not one to complain about rules. Generally I come with the mindset that rules are rules for a reason, maybe a reason I don’t understand, and it’s best not to make fuss. But I have limits. It’s hard enough to interact with campus already if you have a C-zone pass. Especially if you live in an apartment or mobile home. Now they plan to enforce this rule as well? Frankly, I didn’t even know it existed, and it makes things way more difficult than they need to be. It’s already almost impossible to park in C-zone during academic hours (I circled the coliseum lot for a full half hour the other day before finding a spot), and now parking services says by the way, you can’t even drive here. Now, this possibility of citation would be during an upcoming period of enforcement. Apparently they are going to be enforcing the law sporadically. Parking services graciously admitted, “We are aware of the need to unload projects for your classes or for helping a friend who lives in the Quad and are looking at what can be done to accommodate these exceptions.” Good. They’d better be. But the thing is, the instances aren’t rare. They’re the norm. That doesn’t call for accommodating exceptions. That calls for changing the rule. I hope AU will realize that it needs to adapt in order to serve its students. Especially considering the high proportion of students who live off campus and the already challenging parking situation, the University needs to be doing everything it can to make things easier for students. Not start enforcing another rule.

Chalk drawings OK on Concourse, not buildings The Concourse has evolved. It’s become more than a concrete walkway—it’s a giant chalkboard. It’s a silent public forum in which any student can participate. Most weeks there’s a new advertisement for a campus group or a message to a friend. It’s an impromptu mashup of calendar and messageboard that we think shouldn’t be restricted. But the Concourse is different from other areas of campus. It was a mistake for the Nerds N’ Geeks club to use chalk on buildings on campus. Markings on the halls, however innocently created, attract attention to structures on campus in an unpleasant way. They’re too grafiti-esque. We like the chalk on the Concourse, but keep it on the Concourse. We believe there’s a sense of community to be found in these chalk messages. They’re signs of an active, vibrant student body. It’s also an interesting tactic for getting a message out. A few slips of paper on the bulletin boards in the Haley Center are a start, but so easily missed. A table on the Concourse is all right

for most groups, but if you don’t have the manpower to swarm the area with pamphlets and nifty Tshirts it can be a waste of time. The drawings are simple, they’re unobtrusive, and we want to see more of them. The chalk also brings a charm to our campus that can’t be found in other areas. The Shelby Center, for example, is a beautiful addition to our campus. But for all of its attractive architecture and brickwork it’s lacking the sense of fun that a piece of child’s sidewalk chalk has brought to the Concourse. It’s not all low-budget advertising and birthday wishes, however. Sometimes you’ll find some clever person has written a phone number to call for a “good time;” or someone will have scribbled an inside joke for all of the University to not get. These are irritating, but it comes with the territory, and we shouldn’t do away with the practice because of a few dense individuals. Tom Tillman, director of University Planning, isn’t crazy about the state of the Concourse. We understand his apprehension. The

drawings can be considered disrespectful of the value of our University if you think that way, but that’s not the essense of the writings, and definitely not the intent. Some are worried about how the drawings make the University look to potential students or donors, but Auburn’s image isn’t degraded by these drawings. We don’t think applicants would be put off by the drawings, and only the most stuffy of stuffed-shirted parents would be turned away because of few scribbles in front of Haley Center. It would be a shame for a cage of rules around the Concourse. There’s something ridiculous about petitioning the University to draw with some sidewalk chalk, and we think it would do more to completely deter the practice instead of organizing it. There are things in life that don’t require regulation or approval. This is one of those things. The chalk on the Concourse isn’t a problem. It hasn’t been a problem for as long as any of us have been at Auburn. We can only hope the University doesn’t turn it into one.

dent students are allowed to use them. 2. AU begins several new construction projects, including the new rec center and whatever athletic structure is now being erected on what used to be Biggio Drive, thereby eliminating hundreds of nonresident (C) parking spaces, and makes no attempt to replace them. 3. AU designates one or more rows of the coliseum lot that were formerly C-zone spaces as B-zone spaces, eliminating even more non-resident parking. 4. AU decides that no students, resident or otherwise, are even allowed to drive anywhere “central campus,” which strangely enough is where all the classes are held. For example, if I would like to drop off my wife at her class at 8 a.m., thereby saving her the 30-minute walk from the near-

Lane Jones CAMPUS@ THEPLAINSMAN.COM

est available parking lot, the police department will issue me a citation. Furthermore, it seems this new policy includes the general public as well, as the email from Parking Services simply states that everyone without a pass will now get a ticket. No logical reason is given for the decision to enforce, in a way that can only be described as draconian, an obscure paragraph of the parking rules and regulations. I mean, seriously? A ticket for driving my wife to class?! Never mind the dubious enlistment of our city’s police force. I’m thrilled that, instead of fighting crime, you’ve decided that the Auburn Police Department’s time is best spent enforcing University parking regulations. I know I’ll

At Auburn, I experienced my first introduction to Southern dating culture. The intricacies of it fascinated me. Talking about the dating process with seasoned (if not always successful) veterans, it seemed formulaic. The first date should be conversation heavy. If it’s with someone you don’t know well, take her out during the day for coffee or buy her lunch. If you’re comfortable enough to stare at her over a plate of lasagna for an hour, you can ask her to dinner. The leap from the first date to the second date is the biggest. The gentleman ask her over the phone or in person. The lady, at this point, can politely decline without any hard feelings. If she agrees to a second date, it’s your chance to show your free spirit and poetic soul with a more creative date option. At this point, there’s no turning back. You ask her on the third date, which you both know she’ll say yes to. On the third date, experts agree, it is finally acceptable to kiss her. At first this stunned me. It appeared that love was no longer driven by heartfelt passion but by a threestep plan for success. It seemed like a numbers game for the guys: use this strategy on every girl that comes your way and one of them is bound to stick. As I’ve grown more accustomed to this dating culture, however, I’ve realized that the perks of this system can work both ways if we let it.

» See PARKING, A9

» See DATING, A9

Your view: Driving on campus shouldn’t require zone passes Recently I received an email from Don Andrae, the director of Parking Services here at AU. I encourage everyone to read it thoroughly, but the gist of it is this: anyone without an A- or B-zone parking pass can be be ticketed for simply driving anywhere on campus. Furthermore, AU has enlisted the help of the police department to issue these citations. That’s right, the cops are now issuing tickets to anyone who simply drives on campus without a green or yellow pass. This includes drop offs and pickups. The following is my reply to Mr. Andrae. Wow. Really? Since moving to Auburn to attend graduate school I’ve seen the following: 1. AU builds new parking garages, specifically the one by the Medical Center, but no nonresi-

Don’t miss the point of college dating

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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 A9

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Your view: tanning Bring Auburn’s fall fervor to spring beds cannot be safe I was appalled at the article last week on tips for tanning “safely.” I realize that, especially with spring break coming up, people want to look good. However, neither indoor nor outdoor tanning can ever be deemed safe. Tans are caused by harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun or tanning lamps, and if you have one you’ve sustained skin cell damage. Tanning bed users are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma, according to a recent FDA-approved study. That’s not long-term users, either. One time will give you those risks. Long-term tanners (50 hours tanning) are more than 2.5 times as likely to develop melanoma.

The idea that The Plainsman would print an article that included coupon links for tanning without mentioning the risks is abhorrent. The only safe tanning option is sunless tanning, which was just barely glossed over. Tanning is a deadly habit, and to suggest that it can be undertaken safely is absurd and dangerous. I expected better than a paper who should have the best interests of the student body at hand, rather than the interests of local tanning salons.

PARKING

for pickup and drop-off of students, at least ones that aren’t as far away as the ever-receding parking areas. Should the students that we are ferrying to class simply leap from the moving vehicle as we pass by central campus? Thanks AU. I’d like to encourage my fellow students here at AU to let Mr. Andrae know how they feel as well.

» From A8

sleep better at night. Wasn’t there an armed robbery on campus last month, committed by someone that walked to central campus? Where, exactly, do you propose we drop off these students that need to get to class? You say “off-campus,” but, as I’m sure you are aware, there aren’t a lot of off-campus locations in the area available

DATING » From A8

That’s the hitch, though. These boys are working up the courage to ask a girl out and girls are turning them down. The excuses vary, from “I’m not in the place for a relationship right now” to “I really just see you as a friend.” This sort of behavior demonstrates a misinformed notion of what the purpose of a date does. People don’t seem to understand that the simplest function of dating is not

Victoria Rodgers

ONLINE@ THEPLAINSMAN. COM

Let’s face it: Auburn isn’t “All In” during the second half of the year. Once the festivities die down and winter break is over, the spirit of Auburn fades and students hibernate in dorms or apartments and focus more on nights inside

than out. What happened to the Auburn family that supports all Auburn men and women? I have attended a few sporting events this semester and it amazes me how most of the Auburn family only cares about football. What about the men’s and women’s basketball teams who needed us to cheer in the arena to build a reputation for The Jungle? Though the stands started to fill up after a few wins, there were still a lot of gaps in the

student section. Why can’t we support baseball, basketball, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis and track like it’s football season? There is no reason why Toomer’s Corner shouldn’t be rolled almost every other day from an athletic victory. Saturday nights are full of fun and laughter after a big SEC win in the fall, but if you walk Magnolia on a crisp spring night you may

see a few stragglers; no lines, no crowded sidewalks—just a few walking from here to there. It’s time for Auburn to be all in at all times. Supporting our athletes on the field can be the difference between a win and a loss and the student body needs to support and celebrate with them. Let’s support our spring athletic programs. Go to more campus events and party like the real world is just around the corner.

Morgan Maynard senior, aerospace engineering

Ivan Arnold graduate student, physics to declare undying love to the object of your affections. It’s not even to say, “Hey, I have made up my mind to pursue a romantic relationship with you.” Dating is a chance to find out if there could be something there or not. There’s a fine line between being serious about dating and taking yourself too seriously. It’s an strange and sometimes intimidating institution, but you’ve got to use it to your advantage. So guys, ask her out. Girls, say yes!

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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Community A10

The Auburn Plainsman

Tips to keep your Twitter following

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here are some scenarios of big ole don’ts of Twitter. 1. You’re out at the bars with 12 of your closest girlfriends, and one of them says some super funny inside joke, so you decide to tweet it and tag all the girls in it too! No one cares. Tweet things that might bring a little smile or laugh along to those who follow you instead. Twitter is a great reminder of how funny you can be about one-tenth of the time. 2. You’re at the park with your boy, and you really want to describe how perfect you feel right now. You might want to hash tag almost every emotion you’re feeling, like #wearecute, #heissosweet, #prettysunnyday and #iactuallydontreallylikebeingoutside. I warn you though, don’t do this. Unnecessary hashtags become annoying and could cost you a scroll-over. 3. You’re at a trendy coffee shop and your barista crafts you a tiny heart out of whipped cream atop your mocha. You then take a picture, Instagram it, post it to Twitter, Facebook and your blog. You might think about doing this several times a day, you over-tweeter. I don’t think I have to explain why this might be annoying. All joking aside, just create your own personal Twitter brand and go with it. I tend to use no capital letters, improper grammar and maybe a little profanity here and there, but so what? Just please don’t be like my sister and un-follow me; I need this.

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Oh, Twitter. I love almost everything about it. I love its quick bits of witty jokes in 140 characters or less, and I love how I feel like I’m best friends with of all my favorite comedians and celebrities. But there are just some things I can’t get behind. It’s not Twitter’s fault, but it might be yours. I once was told you could block certain tweeters from your feed by using the app Echofon. This could be useful if you felt obliged to follow certain people like your mom, I thought. But this is where Twitter begins to blur the line that separates itself from Facebook. Example: it would be rude to de-friend your long-lost best friend from elementary school on Facebook, but do you really want to see her edited photos from Picnik and Bruno Mars status updates? No, so you choose to “hide” her. Would you do the same with Twitter? I hope you wouldn’t come close to clicking the follow button because Twitter is everything Facebook is not. Twitter is fast, entertaining and relevant when used properly. Almost everyone has a Twitter account, but not everyone knows how to use it. I’m looking at you, girl who tweets pictures of every bouquet of flowers she ever receives. So

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Sports Thursday, March 8, 2012

Golf signee shines » PAGE B3

TWEET US! @PlainsmanSports

www.theplainsman.com

B1 Sports

A ‘BIG EASY’

MATCHUP

COURTESY OF SHANNA LOCKWOOD

Coach Barbee congratulates students from The Jungle at the basketball awards banquet Sunday.

Student body wins Sixth Man Award Robert E. Lee SPORTS BEAT REPORTER

Sophomore guard Varez Ward remains suspended indefinitely. Sophomore guard Chris Denson said it is necessary for other players to step up in their absence. “Losing Payne, Langford and Varez really affected us scoring, but you know coach always says step up, and today Noel (Johnson) stepped up,” Denson said. Johnson scored only three points against LSU, but gave the Tigers 14 minutes off the bench as the only reserve small forward. The Rebels lead the SEC in rebounding, averaging 38.1 per game, but Barbee is approaching the tournament with a fresh mindset.

The Sixth Man Award is given to the basketball player that makes the biggest difference coming off the bench, but this season’s winner wasn’t even on the court—they were in the stands. “As long as I’ve been in basketball for 20 years … I’ve never heard of the student body actually winning the trophy,” said Steve Smith, executive director of basketball. “It’s always had a name associated with it. I have never seen it given to the student body.” Coach Tony Barbee announced at Sunday evening’s basketball awards banquet that the student body would receive the award for making Auburn Arena one of the toughest places to play for opposing teams. Charles “Blue Menace” Floyd, a frequent face in the student section known for his blue spandex suit, said Barbee understands the passion fans brought to each home game. “I think it shows that he cares about his fans; he cares about other people besides the ones on his bench,” Floyd said. “He realizes it’s more than people sitting on the sidelines, and if we’re not there, they’re not going to play their hardest. And he recognizes it.” Floyd said the student section was consistently supportive, even when the Tigers were losing. “If we were down by 15, we were still giving the other team trouble,” Floyd said. Smith said fans went above and beyond in their support for Tigers basketball.

» See TOURNAMENT, B2

» See AWARD, B2

REBECCA CROOMES / PHOTO EDITOR

Senior forward Kenny Gabriel celebrates Auburn’s 67–52 win against LSU with the student section of Auburn Arena, known as The Jungle. The final home game for the 2011–12 season also marks Gabriel’s last season as an Auburn student; he graduates in May with a degree in sociology.

Tigers battle the seventh-seeded Ole Miss Rebels Thursday at the SEC tournament in New Orleans John Holtrop WRITER

After securing the No. 10 seed in the SEC tournament with a 67– 52 win over Louisiana State Univeristy in Auburn Arena Saturday, the Auburn Tigers men’s basketball team will face seventh-seeded Ole Miss in the tournament’s first round at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in New Orleans. Auburn finished the regular season at 15–15 and 5–11 in the SEC, while Ole Miss boasts an 18– 12 record overall and went 8–8 in the conference. This will be the third meeting between the two teams this season. The Tigers won the first, 69– 68, in double overtime Jan. 14 in Auburn, while the Rebels took the

second game, 61–54, Feb. 11 in Oxford, Miss. “The thing that I know about my team, we are going to New Orleans with a lot of confidence, and we’ve talked about getting a little momentum,” said Auburn coach Tony Barbee. “We really needed that win to really feel good about ourselves going in.” Players agree that the victory over LSU provides a solid foundation entering the tournament. “There’s nothing like it,” said junior guard Frankie Sullivan, who had a team-high 22 points in Saturday’s win. “I think us winning this game and going into the SEC tournament gives us some motivation because we can play with any-

body. We’ve been doing it all year; we just need to do it for 40 minutes.” Sullivan mentioned the 2008 Georgia Bulldogs and their unlikely run to win the SEC tournament as proof that any team can win. “Anything can happen in the SEC tournament, as you can see from a couple of years back when Georgia did it,” Sullivan said. “Anybody can go out and win the SEC Championship; you just got to go out and play the game.” The Tigers won Saturday without sophomore forward Allen Payne and sophomore guard Josh Langford. Payne will be out for the remainder of the season because of knee surgery, and Langford is recovering from a concussion.

Five-star Diamond Coaching staff and small-town atmosphere bring five-star offensive lineman to Auburn

Robert E. Lee SPORTS BEAT REPORTER

When Jordan Diamond committed to Auburn Feb. 3, he shocked the recruiting classes of universities such as Michigan and Arkansas, bolstering the Tigers’ class with his No. 10 offensive tackle ranking. “The visit I had down there was amazing,” Diamond said of his Dec. 16, 2011, trip to the Plains. “I really like the place, I like the town … It just feels like there is a lot of support.” Tigers offensive line coach Jeff Grimes said targeting a player outside of the SEC was a challenging process. “We felt like it needed to be a big class for us,”

Grimes said. “With the numbers where they were, we had a lot of spots to fill. And early on it was a bit of a concern for us just because it wasn’t a great year in terms of numbers in the Southeast for really good, SEC-quality offensive lineman. Jordan was a kid early on that was on everyone’s watch list for top lineman in the country. We evaluated him off of his junior highlight film and thought he was a really talented kid.” Diamond said he enjoyed the feel of Auburn, and everyone he met gave him support. “I got a chance to sit down in a meeting with

COURTESY OF SCOTT STRAZZANTE, THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE

» See DIAMOND, B2

Simeon High School’s Jordan Diamond celebrates a 47–41 win over Mt. Carmel High School at Soldier Field in Chicago on Aug. 29, 2010.

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Sports B2

The Auburn Plainsman

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DIAMOND » From B1

coach Grimes and see how he operates things and the way he conducts practices,” Diamond said. “It’s all something that an O-lineman would want.” Schools in almost every region of the country expressed interest in him, but Diamond said the coaches at Auburn were a major factor in his decision. “Coach Grimes, coach Trooper (Taylor) and coach (Gene) Chizik, those guys did a pretty good job with staying in touch and really communicating and telling me that they really wanted me here and things like that,” Diamond said. “Just the fact that I have the opportunity to play (at Auburn) really enhanced it.” At 6 feet 6 inches and 290 pounds, Diamond said he can

bench 270 pounds and squat 390, all before entering a collegiate program. Grimes said Diamond’s athleticism was surprising for his size. “The two things that attracted us to him was, one, he is such a big, massive kid. There’s a saying ‘you can’t coach size’; kids are either big or they’re not,” Grimes said. “He’s got a huge frame, but surprisingly agile for his size. He’s light on his feet. He can pull, pass protect and do all the things that we want an offensive lineman to do.” Diamond’s mother, Angela, said she knew her son’s talent would take him somewhere other than their backyard. “I know it’s a long way, but actually we have been preparing for this for like two years,” she said. “I knew that he would be going somewhere. I like Auburn; I think it’s a good

Thursday, March 8, 2012

“

place. Out of all the schools we have talked to and everybody that has been recruiting him, I felt like coach Grimes was the best. I really feel comfortable with my son going there and having him there with those people.” Diamond’s educational goals involve majoring in some form of law enforcement and business. Grimes said Diamond is ready for the challenges of being a college athlete.

“The next step was finding out what kind of kid he is, what kind of character he’s got, what kind of work ethic he has and whether he’s going to be a good fit for the program, not just a good athlete,” Grimes said. “Everything was positive along the entire road. His coaches immediately said, ‘If I had every kid in my program like this, I’d never lose a game.’” Diamond’s strong suit is pass protection, and with his long arms and top-tier strength, quarterback could be a comfortable position next season for the Tigers. “I’m able to use my technique to outdo just about anybody that I’m going against,” Diamond said. “I am really smart, I can catch on to things very easily, and ultimately I hope I’ll be able to show I can do that.” Diamond’s mother said her

son is confidently preparing for the start to his college career. “He’s in another zone when he is playing, and actually he’s been in the same zone for a long time,” she said. “He’s really focused, he’s straightforward and he’s on a mission. He is already working out daily, getting his mind ready for Auburn.” Diamond said in light of his size and strength, he plays like one of the NFL’s best. “This is probably a little strange, but it’s like Peyton Manning: the way he finishes ball games, the way he conducts himself on the field and out-thinking his opponents and using what he knows to help everybody else,” Diamond said. “But as far as O-lineman, I play like Jake Long and Jonathan Ogden. Those are guys that finish the job and really get after it and are physical.”

AWARD

TOURNAMENT

“It was the faith of the students; the support from them was overwhelming,” Smith said. “There’s reasons to not come to our games. When you lose five out of six, typical student bodies, like fans, stop coming. This student body kept coming and kept coming. In the South Carolina game the rain was coming down like a monsoon, and they still filled the place.” Carter “The Jungle King” Michaels, sophomore in software engineering, said this year’s atmosphere in the arena was completely different at home compared to last year. “I thought it was really nice of him to acknowledge all the hard work we put in for the games,” Michaels said. “I think it’s really good because the students have really done a good job this year showing up.”

“We talk about the season being three phases, and we just finished the second one,” Barbee said. “No matter what you did all year long, in phase three … anything can happen. “So we’re going to go into the conference tournament

no matter what the matchup thinking that we are going to win the whole thing, but it starts with the first one.” The winner of the firstround matchup between Auburn and Ole Miss will face No. 2 seed Tennessee, who enters the tournament on a fourgame win streak, at 6:30 p.m. March 9.

He’s got a huge frame, but surprisingly agile for his size. He’s light on his feet.” —Jeff Grimes OFFENSIVE LINE COACH

» From B1

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» From B1

REBECCA CROOMES / PHOTO EDITOR

Senior forward Adrian Forbes fights for a rebound during Auburn’s matchup against LSU Saturday. The Tigers won 67–52.

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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Sports B3

The Auburn Plainsman

Benton’s practice pays off Elizabeth Bonner WRITER

COURTESY OF MICHELLE BENTON

Benton qualified for the U.S. Kids World Championship at age 8.

COURTESY OF MICHELLE BENTON

Benton said more than 30 letters of interest were sent to him during his collegiate recruitment.

Ryan Benton’s dream came true last November. The Providence Christian senior from Dothan signed with the No. 4 Auburn men’s golf team Nov. 9 after an impressive junior year and a lifetime of practice. “I played since I could physically swing a club,” Benton said. “My dad played, and I just wanted to do whatever he did. I really don’t remember not playing golf.” Ashley Benton, Ryan’s sister and junior in physical activity and health, recalls some of his beginnings. “I remember when he was 2 or 3 years old getting golf clubs for Christmas,” Benton said. “We always went to play puttputt with our parents when we were younger, and on hole 18 he knew the ball was never going to come back and he would always cry. It was a loveat-first-sight kind of thing.” Ryan Benton didn’t waste any time in turning this love into a career. When he was 7 Benton started golfing competitively and qualified for the U.S. Kids World Championship the next year. “That was a pretty big deal for an 8-year-old,” he said. “I remember going to Williamsburg, Va., and being really scared because everyone was really good, and this was a really big tournament. “I had to qualify for the tournament, and the qualifier was my first tournament.” As Benton matured, golf ’s place in his life did the same, and in junior high he came to a turning point. “I played baseball and golf, and I was pretty good at both,” Benton said. “I had to decide which one I had a future in. In seventh grade I decided to

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go all golf. That’s pretty much when I decided … that playing in college was the goal, and I was going to do whatever it took to get to that point.” Over the next few years, Benton participated in tournaments across the country. Closer to home, he was the cochampion of the Class 1A-2A Alabama High School Athletic Association state tournament his freshman year and runnerup as a junior. He began his career with the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour in 2007 and accumulated nine wins and eight top-10 finishes. By her brother’s sophomore year, Ashley Benton began to realize what the future had in store for him. “That’s when he really started to shine,” Benton said. “When he was the No. 20 recruit his freshman and sophomore year, I was like, ‘Holy cow, he’s a really good golfer.’” He went on to place fifth in the Future Masters in Dothan, fourth in the Greystone Invitational in Birmingham and advanced to the quarterfinals in the U.S. Junior Amateur Tournament in Seattle last July after winning the qualifier by 11 shots. It didn’t take long for the college offers to start pouring in. “I probably had over 30 letters of interest sent to me,” Benton said. “It was really special because Auburn was the first one I got, so that pumped me up pretty good.” Though he had always dreamed of playing for Auburn, the decision proved to be tougher than Benton had expected. “I laid out all the schools, and I narrowed it down to four—Auburn, Alabama, Troy and Florida State—this past summer,” he said. “As the recruiting process

COURTESY OF MICHELLE BENTON

Benton signed with Auburn over Alabama, Troy and Florida State.

“

I’ve recruited him the last few years, and I’ve been watching him develop as a player and as a young man. He was the right fit for us at Auburn academically and athletically.” —Nick Clinard AUBURN MEN’S GOLF COACH

went on, there was no doubt that Auburn was the best school for me with the coaches and how good the campus and the facilities are. Everything was just way better than anything else I went to look at.” Auburn men’s golf coach Nick Clinard has a similar confidence in Benton’s choice. “I’ve recruited him the last few years, and I’ve been watching him develop as a player and a young man,” Clinard said. “He was the right fit for us at Auburn academically and athletically. “He just continually gets

better. He’s a hard worker; he’s a very positive guy; he’s a team guy. As a player he’s very talented. He’s very powerful when it comes to the game of golf … He’ll hopefully come in and compete to earn some playing time as a freshman,” Clinard added. But it wasn’t just Benton’s ability on the greens that caught Clinard’s attention—it was his character. “He’s very much into his faith and his family,” Clinard said. “That really stuck out to us in the recruiting process. We thought he was a very good fit for the program at Auburn and what we, as coaches, believe in as well. He’s got a great mental and physical game, and obviously the spiritual aspect.” Senior golfer Blayne Barber said quality character is part of being on the team. “Anytime you can add a player to the team with Ryan’s ability, it is nothing but a positive,” Barber said. “Being an Auburn golfer is just as much, if not more, about who you are and how you carry yourself off the golf course as you do on it. “Based on what I know about Ryan, he will definitely carry on the legacy of Auburn golf well.”

Sports B4

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Jarrett teaches Tigers ‘small-ball’

Coleman McDowell

“We ran the bases aggressively,” Jarrett said. “We bunted The new look of college base- and we were always good deball fits the mold of Auburn fensive teams, and that’s what University baseball coach Link really got me into the lineup there. I could Jarrett. play defense and The focus has I had a good feel shifted from a for what was gohome-run oriing on in the ented offense to game. That’s how a multi-faceted we played, and it attack that can worked.” bunt, steal and After graduatmanufacture ing and leaving runs. LINK JARRETT his hometown of As the startTallahassee, Fla., ing shortstop on three College World Series Jarrett was drafted by the Colteams at Florida State Univer- orado Rockies organization in sity, Jarrett wasn’t the biggest 1994. A shortstop at FSU, Jaror strongest player on the team, rett played many games at second base, third base, a few in but he knew his role. SPORTS EDITOR

the outfield and even one at first in the minor leagues. Jarrett said the rigorous schedule the minors put on the players took the most getting used to. “It’s just every single day you play a game,” Jarrett said. “In Double-A we played 40 consecutive nights. The whole lifestyle when you have to travel and you have to play so much, physically and mentally it really tests you. I know playing baseball isn’t playing a football game, but over the course of 30–40 nights in a row of traveling and buses, it really makes you appreciate how good the guys are who play in the big leagues because their schedule is very similar to that.”

Jarrett began his career with the Bend Rockies Single-A in 1994 and continued his defensive prowess, winning the Most Spectacular Defensive Player Award in his first season. In 1996, Jarrett moved up to Double-A. He said the jump was the biggest talent gap he had witnessed in his career. “From A to AA was the biggest jump for me—more than from high school to college, even college to the lower levels of the minors leagues,” Jarrett said. He said it was intensified because of the constant travel up and down the East Coast. “We’d play a game, get on a bus, drive all night, get off at your next stop at 6 a.m., un-

“

He knows what a winning team is like, and that’s what he wants from us.” – Ryan Tella SOPHOMORE OUTFIELDER

load, sleep for a little and then go to the field—nine to 10 hour bus trips sometimes,” Jarrett said. “When you do that month after month, it’s more of a physical strain. It wears you down. You’ve just got to adapt and find a way to stay strong through that five-month season. It’s a grind.” The schedule became more challenging once Jarrett married his wife, Jennifer, and only intensified after the birth of their first son, J.T. Jarrett looked to the college coaching ranks to get his name out in the coaching world. “I was married and my first child was already born, so all the traveling and relocating in pro ball wasn’t for me,” he said. “I enjoyed college and thought it was a good environment for my family. I probably knew in high school that I wanted to coach. As soon as I realized my playing days were over, I went and searched for a place to start coaching.” Jarrett found that place in St. Augustine, Fla., at Flagler College. Dave Barnett, baseball coach and athletic director, hired Jarrett as recruiting coordinator straight out of the minor leagues in 1999, and Jarrett took full advantage. “You’ve got to get your foot in the door, and I was able to stick it in there,” Jarrett said.

Jarrett’s minor league travels allowed him to work with baseball greats such as Don Zimmer, Don Baylor and Art Howe. At Florida State, Jarrett was coached by Mike Martin, who is entering his 33rd season with the Seminoles. “I just soaked it in,” Jarrett said. “You pull bits and pieces from everyone around. (Martin’s) overall desire to see the guys go out and do what they needed to do to win games was something that was ingrained in me early on when I got to college, and I think his game management style and the way he plays the game (was too). Coming along that was my role model.” Sophomore outfielder Ryan Tella said Jarrett’s enthusiasm and experience keeps the team from getting discouraged. “He’s always up; I’ve never seen him down,” Tella said. “He’s always positive. He also knows what a winning team is like, and that’s what he wants from us.” After Flagler, Jarrett made stops at Florida State, Mercer and East Carolina before his hiring in 2010 as Auburn’s director of player development. Tella said Jarrett has helped him with specifics with his hitting. “I never really had a chance to bunt or learn the proper way to bunt before coach Jarrett,” Tella said. “He also helped me with the mechanics of hitting the inside pitch.” Junior outfielder Cullen Wacker said Jarrett uses his experiences to provide all of the players insight. “He’s got a lot of stories from his career that he brings up where he might have messed up, and he doesn’t want us to make the same mistake,” Wacker said. “That’s really beneficial to all of us.”

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Intrigue Thursday, March 8, 2012

Job Spotlight

B5

» PAGE B7

www.theplainsman.com

Intrigue

Creative overflow: turning mud into mugs

CHRISTEN HARNED / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

From left: Center the lump of clay on the wheel before shaping it. Begin to shape and form the object, in this case a cup. After firing, the finished product is a microwave-safe mug perfect for a morning cup of coffee or tea.

Andrew Yawn WRITER

With spring break already here, students can forget scultping abs and start sculpting art at the Ceramics Studio on Dean Road. “It’s one of the best-kept secrets in Auburn,” said Amy Kaiser, five-year member turned part-time instructor at the studio. While students flock to the coast or cruise to exotic countries, the Ceramics Studio provides the community with a cheaper, alternative method of relaxation. “It absolutely is therapeutic,” said Cari Philen, art education specialist for the City of Auburn. “It’s definitely a calming thing for me.” The process of making pottery is not an overly complicated one, Philen said; however, knowing what to do and doing it are two completely different things. “It takes at least a couple weeks before you really get it down,” she said. “It’s definitely a feel process.” While pieces may only take minutes to mold, it takes weeks to render the pottery functional. The mug will take one to two weeks to dry before it is ready for the kiln, the oven used for baking the clay. If a piece still has moisture in it, the kiln will vaporize the water when the clay is fired—with explosive results. “It’s not just a crack; it’s an explosion,” Kaiser said.

“Steam doesn’t just sit there; it escapes.” The studio, nestled in the back room of the Dean Road Recreation Center, offers classes on a quarterly schedule with a one-quarter membership fee of $35 that includes all clay and equipment. Once trained in throwing, attendees like Kaiser can become independent studio members. This allows them access to the shop, provided they supply their own clay. For those just starting out, one’s mentality means as much as the form, Philen said. “A lot of ceramics is confidence. The more calm, cool, collected and confident you are, the easier it is,” she said. “If you’re stressed and anxious, your work is going to look stressed and anxious.” Besides being a therapeutic release, much of the reward lies in creating art that combines aesthetics and functionality. “It is an art form, but it’s a really useful art form,” said Tucker Hallmark, freshman in pre-med and independent studio member. “You can make functional things you use in everyday life, instead of painting where you just have something to put on the wall.” Despite the amount of patience and diligence exuded by the more seasoned members, Philen is quick to remind people that it’s all about having fun. “Who doesn’t love playing with mud pies?” she said.!

Steps to creating your own ceramic mug: 1. 2.

3.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

The first step is to center a baseball-sized lump of clay on the spinning wheel. As the clay spins, place both hands around the ball, continuously adding water and shaping the lump in the middle of the wheel. (Keeping the clay hydrated is the key to avoiding imperfections in the clay and creating the desired shape.) Continue to shape the ball until it’s smooth. When it feels like it isn’t moving anymore, the ball is centered. Then, dig a finger into the center of the clay and pull away from the center to create the desired diameter of the cup. Once the opening is created, put one hand on the inside and one on the outside applying equal pressure. On the sides of the cup, pinch near the bottom and gently pull up, evening the clay. Repeat this until the cup is tall enough or there is no more clay to pull up. Finally, using a pencil tool, scrape around the base of the cup to remove any excess material. Once dry, place the prototype in the 1300–1500 degree Fahrenheit kiln and bake it for six to 12 hours. After the cup is removed it should have a feel similar to terra cotta. To be functional the piece must then be glazed and baked in a hotter kiln. The glaze is a mixture of colors and chemicals that allows the artist to add his or her own style to an otherwise plain cup. By firing it a second time in a 2000 degree kiln for 13–16 hours, the silica in the glaze melts and hardens, giving the cup a smooth, glassy sheen and rendering it waterproof and microwave-safe.

Facilities complaint washes away chalk graffiti Hayley Blair INTRIGUE BEAT EDITOR

Many University staff members carefully plan the image and character of Auburn, but students often add personal touches that don’t fit the bill. Drawings and birthday wishes are frequently chalked on the Concourse and in other areas around campus, but Tom Tillman, director of University planning, said he does not approve of the student additions. “We have some guidelines that we use when we do anything on campus,” Tillman said. “Anything you can see, whether it’s a sign or a building or landscaping or anything like that we take a quick check and ask ourselves, ‘Does this action reinforce the image and character of the University?’” This rule of thumb was adopted during the 1990s as the architecture of the University began to change. Tillman said chalk markings by students do not adhere to the standard.

“I’m not supportive of the idea of chalk markings on the sidewalks or especially on the buildings,” Tillman said. “That’s getting to be close to vandalism. Sometimes you can’t get the entire image off. “It just doesn’t seem to add to the campus, and I would hope that people would have more respect for the environment there that they wouldn’t create any visual clutter or visual pollution.” The campus group Nerds N’ Geeks recently wrote movie quotes and drew pictures with chalk on the exterior of several buildings on campus. According to the group’s blog, au-nerds-n-geeks.tumblr.com, the Office of Student Conduct requested a meeting after a complaint was filed by Facilities Management, which claimed it had difficulties removing the chalk. Katherine Hettinger, coordinator of student advocacy and case management in the OSC, said anyone can

submit a complaint, and it is the office’s duty to address the underlying problem. “We address complaints as they come to our office,” Hettinger said. “Any time a complaint is brought to us we look into it and meet with the students to find out what was going on.” According to the blog, the OSC assured the group that the meeting “is not punitive in nature and will be focused on how the OSC can aid you in developing a skill set to minimize the chances of placing yourself in a position for having this type of concern raised again.” “These complaints are coming from specific buildings, i.e., the Student Center and Foy most likely,” a Nerds N’ Geeks member posted on the blog. “Haley (Center) is also perhaps one of them. Again, it should be brought to (the University’s) attention that the sororities are using the same methods to advance their own pur-

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poses, where we simply aim to make people smile.” Aileen Perez, doctoral assistant in the OSC, said there is no policy against chalk drawings, but when a complaint is filed the office must take action. “There is a policy for advertising,” Horez said. “It does not state that chalking is not allowed specifically, but it will fall under the advertising rule. A complaint was submitted to our office by facilities saying that they wanted to address the chalk issue with these specific students, but they didn’t want these students to get in trouble. That’s the reason for us addressing the chalking policy.” The chalk drawings by Nerds N’ Geeks were not an explicit violation of the advertising policy, Perez said, which is why the OSC didn’t pursue disciplinary action. Instead, the office had an “educational conversation” with members of the group regarding the complaint, and added

“

We’re not necessarily saying that this policy is against chalking. It’s that if we’re going to address it because facilities submitted a complaint, our best umbrella would be to put it under there.” —Aileen Perez DOCTORAL ASSISTANT, OFFICE OF STUDENT CONDUCT

that future complaints will result in harsher action. “We don’t care about the content; it’s the fact that it was there,” Perez said. “Our concern was just the fact

» See CHALK, B6

Intrigue B6

The Auburn Plainsman

CHALK » From B5

that facilities has to have manpower to wash that stuff off.” “(The advertising policy) is the best policy we can stick it under because there is no chalking policy for campus. We’re not necessarily saying that this policy is against chalking … If we’re going to address it because facilities submitted a complaint, our best umbrella would be to put it under there.” In other words, while the advertising policy was not intended to address chalk drawings, the policy’s lack of language regarding the matter was part of the reason it was chosen to address the complaint. “From my understanding of reading that, there are certain

What to wear during spring break Melody Kitchens ONLINE TEAM LEADER

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS SUNDAY, MARCH 11! Don’tforgettosetyourCLOCKSAHEADONE HOUR!

TO THE BEACH: The beauty of picking outfits for the beach lies in the ease of being able to coordinate dresses, skirts and cover-ups with your bathing suit that w ork from sunbathing to dinner on the coast. Take advantage of this and wear sheer, loose and patterned midlength dresses as your cover-up, which go easily into night with wedges and layered jewelry. As for

Thursday, March 8, 2012 places where you’re allowed to advertise on campus and certain mediums you’re allowed to use, and they’re specifically listed in there,” Hettinger said. “Chalking is not listed in the policy as appropriate forms of advertisement.” Nerds N’ Geeks stated in its blog that the University’s reaction to its drawings was too harsh, and that chalk drawings are a safe and appropriate way to have fun. “College and classes are not easy, and students need to let off steam,” the blog states. “This is a harmless, geeky, fandom way of doing it. No one is being hurt by it, and the chalk being used is water-soluble, so the use of brushes, soap or power washers is overkill on the University’s part, if that (is) part of their ‘complaint.’” Perez said students inter-

bathing suits, skip the overdone fringed and busy patterns and pick a more interesting cut so the bathing suit stands out underneath a sheer dress, like a higher-waisted suit with bits of neon or an under-toned galaxy print. Where to find the look: swell.com TO A FESTIVAL OR CONCERT: Just like the beach, almost anything goes. However, sheer polyesters may not be the best choice for standing out in the sun for long hours at a time. Wear your favorite bathing suit underneath cotton tops or tank-tops with jean cutoffs or even just a cotton tank dress. But as always, you

ested in the issue could petition the Student Government Association for a policy specifically regulating chalk drawings. Tillman also said the University would be happy to make accommodations for students who enjoy the activity, or for art students who use the medium to practice. “If that’s something you feel you have to do, there are certain colleges that have a rock or something where you can paint a message, and it’s really gross-looking most of the time because it’s really not even good graffiti,” Tillman said. “I would hate to see something like that in a public place, but if something like that has to be put on campus there are processes students can go through to have something like that approved.”

still should stand out from the crowd. Pick larger sunglasses and hair scarves or hats to keep the sun out of your face, and choose sandals that you can bear to walk in all day, like Saltwater Sandals. Where to find the look: needsupply.com ABROAD: It can be tricky to not look too much like a tourist, but all you need to do is just remove those running shoes and you’re almost there. Being comfortable during sightseeing is important, and tennis shoes like Superga will do the trick. For dinners and more formal occasions, this is your time to try more bold colors and prints, even mixing them too. Where to find the look: asos.com; thesartorialist. com

We Believe

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Become a Student Ambassador! The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs is seeking energetic, self-motivated, enthusiastic students to become Student Ambassadors. Ambassadors help host official functions and events and act as student liaisons to various communities the office serves. Improve your interpersonal skills through interacting and networking with other students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and community members. Attend an informational meeting Tuesday, March 6, 6:00 p.m. in 2225 Student Center. Visit www.auburn.edu/diversity or email diversity@auburn.edu for an application. Application deadline is Friday, March 9.

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Career

B7 www.theplainsman.com

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Job Spotlight: Andrew Harris Auburn graduate applies degree to European-style restaurant in the area

Katelyn Gaylor WRITER

Andrew Harris graduated from Auburn in 2001 with a degree in hotel and restaurant management. He is now a wine expert and the general manager for the local restaurant Maestro 2300. What was your first job in the restaurant business? Shucking oysters in a restaurant in Panama City, where I’m from, called Montego Bay. I was an oyster shucker and busboy the summer I was 14, and I’ve kind of done it ever since. How did you make the most of your time while you were at Auburn? I worked a couple of jobs. I worked at Amsterdam as a bartender for a little bit. I worked at Niffer’s, Applebee’s and the Auburn Hotel Conference Center. I worked a couple different places, and of course was in school full-time, so I stayed busy while I was in Auburn. Was it your experience outside the classroom that later made you successful? The hotel and restaurant management program was very strong when I was at Auburn, and it’s even better now. I benefitted a lot from it. I benefitted a lot from the contacts I made. I got an internship with the

REBECCA CROOMES / PHOTO EDITOR

Andrew Harris is the general manager and wine expert at Maestro 2300.

Baltimore Country Club in Baltimore that I got through Auburn University. I also did some work with Club Management Association of America that I got through a contact with Auburn University. All of that was a huge help. But this is the kind of business where schooling only gets you so far. You really got to put your nose to the grindstone, get a lot of experience and work your butt off to make it in this business. Where did you find work after graduation? I worked at The Reynolds Plantation. It’s a big, all-inclusive resort in Greensburg, Ga. It’s a 9,000-acre property—a lot of people call it the Martha’s Vineyard of the South. It’s a five-star, fine dining property. Worked there for two years and my first day there was actually Sept. 11, 2001. I worked there until the middle of 2002 until the Ritz Carlton opened, and I worked for Ritz Carlton for about two years. Then, after that, I left and went back to the beach, where I’m from, and was at a restaurant called Café Thirty-A in Seagrove Beach. I opened a new restaurant called Firefly which is in Panama City Beach. I just came back to Auburn about two years ago. What was the inspiration behind Maestro 2300?

My uncle, the owner Allen Harris, owns a local construction company here called Bailey Harris Construction, and it was his idea to open Maestro 2300. He lived all over Europe for over a decade doing international construction in Italy, France and Germany. He wanted something with a European feel to it right here in Auburn, so he came and got me from Café Thirty-A, brought me up here and we made a dream a reality. What has made your time and energy at Maestro 2300 successful? We do a higher quality of food than a lot of places around here. Chef ( John Hamme) was classically trained in Colorado and lived in France and did culinary training over there and worked for seven years for chef Frank Stitt at Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham and was his master buffeter. He helped open the SpringHouse on Lake Martin and was SpringHouse’s executive food chef up until about a year ago until he started working for us. He likes to take our local ingredients. We buy all of our produce from local farmers, so he takes his training and uses Southern ingredients to do it. That adds a nice, fresh feel to our restaurant.

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Intrigue

Intrigue B8

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, March 8, 2012

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