The Auburn Plainsman 02.18.16 Issue

Gymnastics defeats Alabama page 8

The Auburn Plainsman A Spirit That Is Not Afraid

Thursday, February 18, 2016 Vol. 123, Issue 20, 12 Pages

Student views

First copy is free. Additional copies 50 cents per issue.

Turnover

Football

Coaches who left Auburn Athletics since last season

Chip brownlee / community reporter

SGA president Walker Byrd poses with students after discussing race relations at a Black Student Union meeting last fall.

Minority students feel left out of SGA

Dameyune Craig

Will Muschamp

Travaris Robinson

Andria Moore Campus Reporter

In 2015, 21,694 white people enrolled in Auburn University, according to the Office of Institutional Research. The same year, 1,892 African-Americans, 829 Hispanics, 670 Asians and 162 American Indians or Native Alaskans enrolled.

Auburn has a history of being a predominantly white school.

A trend many nonwhite students would like to change.

“There is a small percent of diverse students on campus, and I think they need to be represented,” said Brianna Thomas, a representative of the Black Student Union. “As a black student, I think our views are heard a little more because we are a bigger chunk of the minority on campus. But our views can still be pushed aside sometimes.”

Ziyun Chen, president of the International Student Organization, believes many international students don’t vote in SGA elections because they feel like the candidates do not represent their needs.

Turnout in the SGA elections this year was 34 percent of elegible students, according to the SGA. “A lot of international students don’t even know what’s going on because the election isn’t specific to what international students need,” Chen said.

“People are always on the concourse telling us to vote, but we don’t know why we should vote when their policies don’t affect us.”

Viraja Khollam, president of the Indian Student Association, said Auburn University works hard to make international students feel comfortable, but work is still to be done in building bridges between international and domestic students.

“The provost’s office recently emailed us about climate diversity research they are doing,” Khollam said. “They want to make international students feel comfortable. The problem is that there are still many Americans who are ignorant about other cultures.”

Khollam said she feels many minority students don’t vote in campus elections because they do not understand that change can only happen when people make it happen.

“What troubles me is that other people who are not as outspoken as me don’t raise their voices to be heard,” Khollam said. “They fail to see it’s the drops that make the ocean.”

Rene Fuanta, president of the African Students Association, said she thinks many minority students don’t run or vote for positions at Auburn because the white-dominant majority intimidates them. “[Political events] are primarily dominated by a certain class of students belonging to some elite society,” Fuanta said. “This definitely leaves out others who could be interested in running for some positions. They shrink back because they think they don’t belong.”

Fuanta said she believes while Auburn still has progress to be made, politics at the national level are becoming more diverse.

“At the national level, we are beginning to see a more diverse political atmosphere,” Fuanta said.

“I think it’s because people are beginning to realize that we can achieve anything if we dream and

» See minority, 2

Lance Thompson

J.B. Grimes photos contributed by auburn athletics

Changes ripple through coaching staf f Sam Butler Sports Editor

One day after losing Dameyune Craig to LSU, Auburn has hired another receivers coach.

Arizona State running backs coach Kodi Burns, who was a former receiver and quarterback at Auburn, will be the next receivers coach on The Plains, Auburn announced Monday.

Burns’ hiring marks the fifth addition to the Auburn coaching staff since the end of the 2015 regular season, all of which had to be filled following coaches who left voluntarily.

“I’m really excited to be back home at Auburn,” Burns said. “I was fortunate to be a part of very successful teams at Auburn, and I look forward to helping the program be successful in the future. I appreciate coach Malzahn giving me this opportunity, and I can’t wait to rejoin a lot of familiar faces on the offensive staff.

I’m ready to go to work.”

Burns played for the Tigers from 2007–10 and scored a touchdown in Auburn’s 22-19 win over Oregon in the 2010 BCS National Championship.

“We’re excited to welcome Kodi back to our program,” said Auburn coach Gus

Malzahn. “He was a wide receiver on our national championship team in 2010 and was on our staff in 2013 when we played in the national title game. He is very familiar with our system and understands what it takes to win championships here at Auburn. Kodi is a bright football mind who coached two 1,000-yard receivers last year. He will be a big asset to our program.”

Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson and linebackers coach Lance

» See turnover, 2

campus

Gun policy differs from concealed carry universities Andria Moore Campus Reporter

Twenty-three shootings occurred on college campuses in 2015, according to Time magazine.

The recent increase in mass shootings has propelled the debate over gun control to the forefront, especially amongst colleges and universities.

Out of 50 states and 5,300 U.S. colleges, and universities, a statistic found in The Washington Post, Idaho, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Arkansas and Wisconsin allow students to carry concealed weapons on campus, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Auburn University does not.

In 2013, Gov. Robert Bentley signed a bill, 13A-11-72, that gave more power to the state legislature to regulate gun control and also placed specific requirements on carrying weapons.

“Each section [of the bill] addresses particular aspects of firearms in the state of Alabama,” said Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones.

“Municipalities are now restricted in what they can do in regulation.

It also addressed the issue of concealed carry permits.”

Alabama law allows anyone

Gurden Smith / Graphics Editor

age 18 or older to own a gun if they have a permit to do so.

“The sheriff of each county issues the gun permits to those that apply,” Jones said. “That is presuming they passed the background check, and the sheriff doesn’t perceive them to be mentally ill.”

Auburn University has a strict gun-free policy that is determined

by University administrators but must be in accordance with Alabama law. The bill, passed in 2013, altered University policy to provide more options for those wishing to transport guns.

“Students are not allowed to have weapons on campus,” said

Chance Corbett, associate director of Emergency Management in the Auburn University Department of Public Safety and Security. “But employees that have a pistol permit can keep an unloaded firearm in their car in compliance with the law.”

The debate over whether it is safer to allow guns on campus differs from campus to campus, but Corbett said he prides himself in knowing Auburn is a gun-free campus.

“Our idea of safety is not having those weapons available on campus,” Corbett said. “We have law enforcement that are trained to respond to situations, and we offer

an active shooter response training course for the community and campus as well.”

The active trainer course is offered periodically every couple months. Members learn techniques, protocol and skills to better prepare them in a real shooting.

The course goes into detail, such as the different types of doors and windows that could be in a building, and how to barricade and create handmade locks for each.

Members then participate in an attack demonstration toward the end of the course.

Jones said comparatively

» See gun, 2

The Auburn Plainsman’s social media

index

Campus...............3

Opinion...............5

Intrigue..............11

Community.......6

Sports..................8

ThePlainsman.com

TheAuburnPlainsman on Instagram

@TheAUPlainsman on Twitter

Visit our Facebook page

News 2

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Community

DUI reports The following were arrested and charged with driving under the influence by the Auburn Police Division from Feb.10-16: Feb. 11 - Bridget S. Nelson, 33 East University Drive at 3:05 a.m.

- Michael Ray Brown, 44 Wrights Mill Road at Shell Toomer Parkway at 1:13 p.m.

- Barry Dewayne Cooper, 31 West Drake Avenue at North Donahue Drive at 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 12 - Bryan William Lee, 22 North College Street at 1:47 a.m.

Feb. 13 - Francesca Elisabeth Mowry, 22 Lakeview Drive at 12:09 a.m.

- Alan Pruitt, 58 Interstate 85 at 2:34 a.m.

A full crime report provided by the Auburn Department of Public Safety is available online at ThePlainsman.com.

–Reports provided by the Auburn Department of Public Safety

Dakota Sumpter / photo editor

Mike Hubbard, flanked by his wife Susan, and attorney Lance Bell leave the Lee County Justice Center.

Judge sets hearing on prosecutorial misconduct Maria McIlwain Community Editor

Judge Jacob A. Walker III will hear more evidence of prosecutorial misconduct in Alabama Speaker Mike Hubbard’s felony ethics case.

He will hear testimony from Baron Coleman, a Montgomery-based attorney, who has information regarding lead prosecutor Matt Hart, according to Lance Bell, lead defense attorney for Hubbard.

Bell said Hart has “directly and indirectly assaulted” Hubbard.

Bell said Coleman shared information and recorded conversations with Hart over two separate meetings and has a sworn affidavit from Coleman.

Bell said he called law enforcement and the state bar when he heard the information.

“I only heard a few minutes of those

coaches » From 1

(334) 329-7777 2059 S College St, Auburn

Thompson left for South Carolina. J.B. Grimes departed for Cincinnati, and Craig bolted to LSU on Sunday.

Burns was recruited as a dual-threat quarterback and saw some time at that position in 2007 and 2008 before converting to receiver in 2009. He was brought back as a graduate assistant in 2013 and became the Samford running backs coach in 2014.

Burns spent 2015 at the same position at Middle Tennessee State before being hired at Arizona State in January.

In fact, the only coaches still on the staff who also served the year before are coach Malzahn, offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, special teams and tight ends coach

Gun » From 1

Chip Brownlee / community reporter

Shannon Arthur, one of the members of the group of African-American leaders, speaks to the Black Student Union.

Minority » From 1

work toward it.”

Thomas said the first step in fixing the problem both on campus and at the national level, is acknowledging one exists.

“People don’t understand we have racism on this campus,” Thomas said. “I think really sitting down and talking to people and listening can make such a difference.

People have to want to build bridges.”

Chen encourages international students to run for SGA offices because she said she thinks that is one of the first steps to creating a more diverse campus.

“So many international students complain about wanting the elections to be more diverse, but they don’t speak up and run,” Chen said.

Khollam believes it is also the task of those already in office to reach out more to the

minority and international students.

“All of them campaign hard, but they still fail to reach international students maybe because they don’t know how,” Khollam said.

“Very few candidates or other students besides international students ever attend international events.”

Thomas said the key is for both sides to start having conversations.

She understands talking about such a topic can be hard, but believes it is a necessity for progress.

“I know that I’ve heard from some of the majority students that it’s very uncomfortable to sit in a room with people who are not like you and are expressing their grievances,” Thomas said.

“And I would say to that, I understand, but I do not empathize because I have to be uncomfortable every day as a minority student on this campus.”

speaking, he feels the Auburn community as well as the University are safe environments. The school resource division of the police department solely focuses on maintaining the safety of Auburn University and the surrounding school districts.

“Our school resource division is trained not only in alert, but also in response,” Jones said. “All of our teachers in the community are put through the same shooter response training that our officers go through.”

Many colleges and universities in the United States have similar laws to Auburn’s. Except for the eight schools who allow students to carry concealed weapons on campus, most schools work hard to provide a gun-free campus for students. Ivy

conversations, Judge, but I thought I heard some laws being violated,” Bell said.

Acting Attorney General Van Davis said the defense was simply rehashing evidence the court had already heard, and the timing of the affidavit was “tactical.”

“I submit that it’s another delay,” Davis said.

The prosecution suggested that Walker could hear evidence after the trial concludes.

The defense brought up previous evidence that they said showed there had been leaks from the attorney general’s office since 2013.

Davis said Coleman had previously testified that he did not know anything about grand jury proceedings, and the affidavit itself is “worthless” and “misleading.”

“There’s basically a disclaimer at the

end that said, ‘I’m not saying Matt Hart did anything wrong,’” Davis said.

Coleman was a confidential informant, so his conversations with Hart are privileged, according to the prosecution.

However, since Hart is a prosecutor, not a member of law enforcement, he can’t have confidential informants, according to Bell.

“Matt Hart cannot have a confidential informant relationship with Baron Coleman,” Bell said.

Walker said some matters brought up by the state necessitated the hearings.

“If we hadn’t had the discovery of Dec. 31, 2015, these matters would have probably been ruled on by now,” Walker said.

The hearing is scheduled for March 3, and the trial is still scheduled to begin March 28.

Scott Fountain, running backs coach Tim Horton and defensive line coach Rodney Garner. Add in Ellis Johnson, Charlie Harbison and Melvin Smith from 2014, and eight coaches have either been fired or left voluntarily in Malzahn’s last two years at the helm.

Auburn, which finished 7-6 in 2015 capped by a win over Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl, can now enter spring practice with a full staff. The Tigers will also have a consensus top-10 recruiting class headlined by four wide receivers to help ease the transition into a revamped coaching staff.

Auburn opens the 2016 season by hosting national runner-up Clemson on Sept. 3, the first of five home games the Tigers play to start the season.

Kodi Burns scores a touchdown in the 2013 BCS National Championship game against Oregon.

League schools such as Harvard and Yale University prohibit even the transport of weapons on campus or in parking lots and will fine up to $500 for doing so.

On the other extreme, the University of Texas at Austin allows anyone with a permit to carry concealed weapons on campus.

The only exception Auburn University makes for students owning weapons is for hunting or other extracurricular activities.

They can register and keep guns with the Department of Public Safety and Security.

“Students can check their guns in and out here,” Corbett said. “Again, pertaining to Alabama law, they can then transport it open and loaded in their car if they have a permit.”

Susan McCallister, associate director of public safety information and education, said her department works to ensure Auburn University remains a safe campus.

“Our department offers numerous safety-related classes including Campus Safety and Active Shooter Response Training, RAD [Rape Aggression Defense] self-defense for women,” McCallister said. “We coordinate Campus Community Emergency Response Teams. We develop emergency procedures and guidelines for campus as well as events.”

According to Yellowhammer News, state Rep. Mack Butler vowed to get rid of gun-free zones and allow students to carry weapons on university campuses. Even with this vow, Jones said he doesn’t anticipate laws changing any time soon.

“A bill has been prefiled that deals with the issues addressed by the representative,” Jones said. “I guess we’ll see what happens, but the University will still have the power to create their own policy on weapons.”

file

campus

Women University presidents discuss challenges Rachel Sprouse Campus Writer

Members of the “University Presidents Speak” panel shared their experiences to a crowded ballroom at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 16. Four panelists lined the stage, each sharing anecdotes from their careers and challenges they’ve faced as leaders.

The panel, sponsored by the Auburn University Outreach/ Tuskegee Auburn Women’s Leadership Alliance Symposium, Women’s Initiatives, Women’s Leadership Institute, Women’s Studies and the department of English, invited four female university presidents to share their experienc-

es in their careers and personal lives to inspire others.

Gwendolyn E. Boyd, president of Alabama State University, said she is familiar with being first.

As the first African-American female to receive an engineering degree from Yale University, she is also the first female president of Alabama State University.

“It means that you have to stand on your own authority and know that wherever you are, that’s where you’re supposed to be,” Boyd said. “Exercise that right, and don’t let anybody push you off.”

Sharon Gaber, president of University of Toledo, said she has spent seven months on the job and is still loving it.

Mary Ellen Mazey, president of Bowling Green State University, said she believes higher education is the key to living the American dream.

“I’m probably the only person in this room that attended a four-room schoolhouse and grew up in a house without any indoor plumbing,” Mazey said.

“But you never, never know where you can end, because higher education is the key to success.”

Molly Easo Smith, provost of Saint Martin’s University, said the most important thing to her was to have people sponsor others. “[Have people that] have faith in you, make you take a leap that you never considered and never thought you could

make,” Smith said. “I think that makes all the difference to careers.”

Boyd said she hoped the audience left encouraged after hearing the panelists speak.

“Women can be college presidents,” Boyd said. “It’s not an unusual thing to think about anymore.”

Boyd said it’s important to “reach back” and mentor others so “you’re not the first and the only” person in a position.

“We’re still breaking down barriers as women, and we understand that,” Boyd said. “But as we break them down, it’s important ... you’re bringing somebody who’s going to be the second, and then they’re going to bring somebody who will be the third.”

Campus

3

Thursday, February 18, 2016

ThePlainsman.com

Campus

student government

Miss Auburn to expand ‘Clothing for Confidence’ Claire tully Campus writer

Madison Rolling, junior in industrial systems engineering, was elected Miss Auburn 2016 at the SGA callouts on Monday, Feb. 8, after campaigning all week for her “Clothing for Confidence” platform.

According to Rolling, she started the Clothing for Confidence organization after she graduated high school and sold clothing items to impoverished families for $1.

She brought this organization to campus for her Miss Auburn campaign, and Rolling said she wants to continue to promote Clothing for Confidence by spreading the word around campus and the community this summer.

“My first step to promote my platform is to look into how we can get it here this upcoming summer,” Rolling said. “It’s a quick turn around, but I’m ready to work and put forth the effort.”

Rolling said once she gets the community involved, they will work to spread the word and then shop for clothing to give to Clothing for Confidence at the end of this upcoming summer.

“We will begin to look for locations to place boxes across the Auburn community, as well as a location to hold the shopping day at the end of summer,” Rolling said. “We often reach out to news and media outlets to help spread the word of our event as well.”

Rolling said it’s vital to gain support because Clothing for Confidence relies on volunteers.

“The big thing that allows Clothing for Confidence to succeed is getting people behind it,” Rolling said. “We run on volunteer help and clothing donations from the community, so without others supporting and behind our goal, we would not succeed.”

Rolling said she hopes Clothing for Confidence becomes as big as the North Alabama drive someday.

“When people share about how to help or how to take part, we grow more and more,” Rolling said. “That has been the experience with the North Alabama drive and I hope that continues to Auburn.”She also plans to collab-

orate often with her advisers and gain experience, according to Rolling.

“I think a big part of that too is getting the chance to sit down with my new advisers and see their vision and ideas for how to bring Clothing for Confidence to Auburn as well,” Rolling said. “They have the experience of working with Auburn and the community, so I am ready to learn and start working.”

Rolling said she will also reach out to students to help meet their needs.

“I will be very dedicated and ready to serve in any capacity needed or wanted,” Rolling said. “I have already spoken to a few different students and groups about visiting their meetings and getting involved where I can.”

Rolling said she feels she must serve the student body because it is what put her into office.

“Since Miss Auburn is elected, I feel she should represent the students and know what’s going on throughout campus, so I am ready to get plugged in and involved,” Rolling said. “I encourage any student to reach out to me too…

I’d love the opportunity to get to know as many students as I can as I serve in this role.”

According to Rolling, her mother inspired her platform and has played a huge role in her life, especially her confidence.

“My mom has just been my biggest cheerleader in everything,” Rolling said. “She is always there to support what I’m doing, but she also gives a sound mind too. She helps me think through a lot in a reasonable manner, and she always points me back to the Lord. My faith is very important to me.”

Rolling said she appreciates all the small lessons her mother teaches her.

“She has a way of teaching me lessons when she doesn’t even mean too, like how she instilled confidence in me through clothes growing up,” Rolling said. “It’s always in the small things.”

Rolling said after getting over the shock of winning Miss Auburn, she wanted to immediately hug her mother.

“Because her idea of confidence is the inspiration behind my platform, at callouts, after the initial shock and excitement of hearing my

Dakota sumpter / photo editor

Madison Rolling celebrates her Miss Auburn win at the 2016 Auburn University Student Government Association callouts on the steps of Cater Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 9.

name, she was the first person I wanted to go hug,” Rolling said. “I just kept thinking, ‘I have to find mom.’”

Rolling said Auburn’s history is part of what’s made her love the University.

“There are so many Auburn moments that make this place special…In my sophomore year, I had an opportunity to learn a lot of Auburn history through a organization I was a part of,” Rolling said. “Each week we would learn some Auburn trivia and facts.”

Rolling said she wanted to leave her mark at Auburn somehow, and being Miss Auburn 2016 is the perfect way to do so.

“It really gave me an appreciation for this place and really grew my love for Auburn,” Rolling said. “That wasn’t necessarily when I thought to run for Miss Auburn. That didn’t come until I was nominated in the fall, but it did help me see that I wanted to do something to serve this university and leave a mark on it before I left.”

NEW DIET? NO BREAD?

NO PROBLEM. Our Chopped Salads blend your favorite ingredients like tasty chicken, turkey and roast beef, with crisp garden veggies like crisp spinach and crunchy cucumbers.

TRY ONE TODAY!

PARTICIPATION MAY VARY. ©2015 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc.

Campus 4

The Auburn Plainsman

competition

construction

Safety a factor in band facilities improvements Jake LeGrone Campus Writer

Contributed by Cheryl Matthews

From left: Sarah Grace Steles, Amanda Chiogioji and Alaundra Shealey designed floor-length dresses. To see all the designs, visit ThePlainsman.com.

Alabama and Auburn students face off in ‘Iron Bowl of fashion’ Andria Moore Campus Reporter

Auburn and Alabama may have a new rival tradition: the Iron Bowl of fashion.

The Huntsville Museum of Art Guild wanted to create a unique way to combine fashion and art.

Its solution: Fashion Fusion Face-off.

“We have a great fashion exhibit coming to the museum next month,” said Cheryl Matthews, chair of Fashion Fusion Face-off. “We wanted to know what we could do with that idea and how we could combine the schools, because it is a ‘fusion.’”

The museum sent 16 different pieces, ranging from oil paints to metal statues, to the University of Alabama’s and Auburn University’s design programs. Students were to create and manufacture a clothing item based on the artwork they chose.

“It was cool to see how even the students that chose the same pieces of artwork had different interpretations,” Matthews said.

The top four designs from each school were chosen as finalists. Each finalist will have their design displayed in the Grisham Gallery of the Huntsville Museum of Art Guild March 28-April 7.

The winners are divided into categories. The crowd favorite will be awarded $500.

The winner selected by the industry judges will be awarded $1,000. And the University winner will be awarded a minimum of $2,500.

Each finalist was paired with a “celebrity” alumnus from their school — football players, entrepreneurs — who

Thursday, February 18, 2016

is responsible for getting the word out about the designer they are representing and encouraging people to vote online.

Sarah Grace Steles, senior in apparel design merchandising, said her design, a long velveteen ball gown, was not in her usual realm of style.

“I would consider my usual style more of a Bohemian mixed with classic Chanel,” Steles said. “But sometimes you start out doing one thing and end up doing something else.”

Steles’ design was based off of an old, raggedy yellow couch.

“This is the biggest and most thoughtful piece I’ve ever done,” Steles said. “I did a background story of what the couch once was and then decided to do a ball gown as a juxtaposition, sticking with the colors.”

Alaundra Shealey, senior in apparel design, also decided to create a dress, but with a different feel.

“When I saw the piece I was designing from, it instantly drew me in,” Shealey said. “I don’t normally like red, but it was so colorful and bright and instantly made me think of a jazz club.”

Shealey said she definitely feels the face-off will be a steep competition.

“I’ve seen some of the Alabama designers, and it was motivation to step my game up,” Shealey said. “I’ve also read some of the Alabama designers write-ups, and they seem very impressive in my eye.”

Caroline Collier, senior in apparel product and design management, chose her piece

because it was “simple and minimalistic.”

“I thought I could do a cool spin off of it,” Collier said.

“It’s a leather dress with mink fur detailing and suede inserts.

I wanted to do something dramatic but wearable for any occasion.”

Amanda Chiogioji, a recent graduate from the University of Alabama in apparel and textile, said she was brought into the competition when a former teacher emailed her.

“I figured why not because it is a great opportunity,” Chiogioji said.

Chiogioji’s inspiration came from a multitude of places, and her design is something she said she would actually wear herself.

“I chose four images for mine,” Chiogioji said. “But the flowers going up the skirt were inspired by a design program I did in Paris last summer.”

Like the Auburn designers, Chiogioji said she is excited to meet the judges and designers from a different school.

“I’ve never done a competition at this level before,” Chiogioji said. “It interests me to meet the judges and designers and to see their perspective on the art.”

Matthews said this competition is an all-around great opportunity.

“We are always trying to reach out to the whole state,” Matthews said. “By having this and involving young designers is a good way to showcase their work and also gain exposure for the museum.”

Voting for the crowd favorite design will continue until April 7 and can be done online at www.fashionfusionfaceoff.com.

The Auburn University Marching Band’s No. 1 priority is safety, according to Associate Band Director Corey Spurlin.

The Board of Trustees approved additions to the Band Practice Complex at its meeting this month.

According to Spurlin, these changes are overdue and were planned in 2008.

“Back in 2008, we talked about how we needed some kind of coverage for inclement weather as a safety concern,” Spurlin said.

They have a pavilion now, but are planning to expand it.

“The pavilion being expanded will be pretty nice,” said junior drumline member David Allain. “If we have inclement weather, we can just go in the building and be completely safe from lighting and rain. That’s always nice.”

Protection from inclement weather isn’t the only safety concern. The marching band is also putting a turf field in place of the sod practice field. The sod field had ruts and holes that caused concern for band members, according to Allain.

“You do have an uneasy feeling sometimes,” Allain said. “There are certain ruts that are pretty deep you feel like you have to avoid so you don’t twist your ankle or anything like that.”

Spurlin sees issues with the sod field too.

“We have huge ruts on the field, which is kind of dangerous to them [band members],” Spurlin said.

The new turf field will improve safety, according to Allain.

“The turf field won’t rut at all,” Allain said.

“It’ll stay the same. It’ll also drain.”

The turf field itself is going to cost $2.7 million, according to Vivian Langley, director of development of the College of Liberal Arts. The money is coming from donors, as well as the Auburn athletic department, Langley said.

The field will feature all the markings of Jordan-Hare Stadium and will have the exact dimensions, according to Allain.

The band is also adding changing facilities and storage facilities next to the turf field.

“This is going to provide a place for students to change and a safe place for their belongings,” Spurlin said.

Spurlin also stressed how the storage facilities will add longevity to the instruments.

“It helps us save money long-term because we don’t have to replace this stuff as often,” Spurlin said. “It’s important, because this stuff isn’t cheap.”

According to Allain, it had to be done.

“They have had to keep tubas outside,” Allain said. “The drumline equipment has been packed into one tiny shed. It’ll be nice to be a little more spaced out. Our shed was falling apart.”

The band is also trying to raise enough money for a new band auditorium in Goodwin Hall.

The auditorium will provide more space, according to Spurlin.

“We can barely move in Goodwin,” Allain said. “Having a bigger band room will help.

You’re really packed in there. Packed in like a sardine.”

The College of Liberal Arts has raised the money for the entire project except for the additions to Goodwin Hall, according to Langley.

“That finish line is right there,” Langley said.

“It’ll be nice to get her done.”

file photo

The new turf field will feature the exact dimensions of Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Opinion

5

Thursday, February 18, 2016

ThePlainsman.com

Opinion

OUR VIEW

We support the SGA initiative

SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE PLAINS

Spring 2016 editorial board

The last week of finals can be hectic; the chemistry of the student body shifts.

Stress runs high as students try to prevent grades from running low.

Some students resort to “study-drugs” such as Adderall, while others combat finals with more innocuous alternatives such as coffee.

In an effort to aid students during finals week, SGA President Walker Byrd and SGA President-elect Jesse Westerhouse proposed an initiative: No heavily weighted (more then 10 percent of a student’s final grade), in-class assignments may be assigned during the last five calendar days prior to the study period.

Several other universities have similar policies, and the University of Tennessee’s is almost identical to the proposal.

We support this initiative because instead of students being overwhelmed with coursework at the end of the semester, students would have more time to meet with professors so they could see where they stand grade-wise.

An issue with this overwhelming amount of coursework is that it limits the window for feedback that could be used to improve a student’s standing in class.

Receiving feedback is one of the most important parts of the education process.

To pull big assignments a little further

Response to “Opinion: Living with a difficult roommate” Kelsie Nicole Shipley “And a note to anyone who lives on campus: It’s okay to use room change days! I promise you would much rather do that then spend a year living with someone who doesn’t respect you.”

Response to “Report: Auburn assistant a ‘serious candidate’ for LSU wide receivers job” GURDEN SMITH / GRAPHICS EDITOR

before final exams week would strengthen that process.

College plays a formative role.

It offers students knowledge of the world. It also benefits students by providing a high-stress environment. Exposing students to stress is good because it gives students a chance to learn how to deal with the stress that will almost inevitably occur later on in life, or as some philosophers belonging to older generations eloquently put it, in “the real world.”

College is, after all, the “fake world,” where things don’t matter and problems are illusionary. Diatribe over.

Professorial autonomy is important, and professors mean well when creating their syllabuses.

However, by simple misfortune, many students are swamped with an abundance of heavily weighted coursework, and often times it’s impossible to balance this with jobs, clubs and other nonuniversity activities such as attending church or exercising.

HIS VIEW

Voting for Sanders is a huge mistake bailey rogers SPORTS WRITER

Bernie Sanders is a self-proclaimed socialist. Do not let those liberals fool you with their disclaimer, “No, he is a democratic socialist.” News flash: There is almost no difference. The main difference is democratic socialists believe in the electoral process as a way of instituting the same government interference.

One argument I always am faced with is, “Denmark and Sweden have free college and the highest approval rates of any country.”

OK, let’s assume that is true. Did you know Denmark and Sweden also have the highest tax rates in the world?

Did you know the only reason that system even has remote success is because of the small population and relatively strict immigration policies?

I bet you also didn’t know Denmark and Sweden are continually moving away from the socialist model, and studies show they are better off for it.

While speaking at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Prime Minister of Denmark Lars Rasmussen said, “Some people in the U.S. associate the Nordic Model with some sort of socialism. Therefore, I would like to make one thing clear: Denmark is far from a planned socialist economy. Denmark is a market economy.”

He later acknowledged, “The Nordic Model is an expanded welfare state, which provides a high level of security to its citizens.”

The New York Times ran an article that highlighted how the welfare system in Denmark has become too much of a crutch. In fact, the Times reported that the average citizen on welfare was making more than someone who worked a minimum wage job.

By 2013, the workforce was outnumbered by those using government assistance.

The recent projects look troubling for the Danes. The government has been slowly implementing a system that will take government assistance away from the citizens.

As they move closer and closer to a decreased welfare state and expanded free market, their future has become much brighter.

If you have taken any economics courses, one of the first things you are taught is the free market and laissez-faire economics. The market will correct itself. That’s the beauty of capitalism. When the government gets involved, things go poorly.

Let’s take minimum wage for example.

If we were to do as Sanders suggested and raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, the unemployment rate would shoot through the ceiling.

For those of you who don’t know, a minimum wage is called a “price floor” in a market.

This is a restriction imposed by the government, limiting how far the wage can drop.

At first glance, that sounds great. Everyone will be paid well, and we will be rich Wrong. Instead of employers saying, “Oh, well, looks like we just have to pay everyone more money,” they will lay off half of the staff.

Think about it. You are an employer of a small company. You can hire six people at a wage of $7 an hour, then Bernie takes office and, boom, you now have to pay every employee at least $15. What will you do?

Take the hit and keep everyone employed?

No, you will fire three of them and move on with your life. We are in a money-dominated world. This is not a fairy tale. These are the cold hard facts.

Bernie Sanders has claimed he will pay for his single-payer healthcare, free college and expanded social security through heavy taxation of the extremely rich, or the “1 percent.”

Let’s be clear. We are supposed to believe that these billionaires that Bernie plans to tax into the next dimension are going to just sit by and take it?

Why would they? They have money.

They can easily pack up their belongings and move into another country, taking all of that money with them.

Then, when they have all moved away, who gets taxed next?

It is also worth pointing out that, as reported by Vox, if Sanders were able to enact all of his government programs, each income bracket’s taxes would rise an average of 16 percent.

This system of taking money from those who earn it and redistributing it to those who do not work deters Americans from pursuing the American dream.

Why would I spend my time and money on a college degree and take the risk of being an innovator when I can just as easily stay at home and cash in on anyone else’s hard work?

Bernie Sanders is the kid running for elementary school class president that promises all-day recess. It sounds fun, but you know it will never happen.

Bailey can be reached at sports@ThePlainsman.com

Emily Esleck MANAGING EDITOR Kris Martins COPY Weston SimS OPINION

Corey Williams CAMPUS Maria McIlwain COMMUNITY Sam Butler SPORTS

Dakota Sumpter PHOTO

Anne Dawson INTRIGUE

Policy

The Auburn Plainsman welcomes letters from students, as well as faculty, administrators, alumni and those not affiliated with the University.

The opinions of The Auburn Plainsman staff are restricted to these pages.

Letters must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. on Monday for publication.

Letters must include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification, though the name of the author may be withheld upon request. Submission may be edited for grammar and/or length. Please submit no more than 400 words.

This editorial is the majority opinion of the Editorial Board and is the official opinion of the newspaper.

The opinions expressed in columns and letters represent the views and opinions of their individual authors.

These opinions do not necessarily reflect the Auburn University student body, faculty, administration or Board of Trustees.

Emily Friedman “As a faculty member, I’d rather make it easier for final papers and projects to stand in for finals, or encourage the development of a course or part of CWE that encourages time management. My students are amazing -- and amazingly overcommitted, and it throws them off their game. It’s impossible to get all your final projects done in the weeks near the end of the semester if you are starting on them from scratch in the last month, but no faculty member I know expects that.”

Response to “It is time to change the meal plan” Alan Clemons “The existing meal plan is stupid, and this is from a parent who attended 30 years ago. Choices are limited and not great. Expanding to downtown restaurants - especially when it’s already almost $1,000 - would be intelligent and better for students who want more options and healthier choices.”

Andrew Carter “Stop whining. The dining options at AU are far better than many colleges and universities across the nation. The idea of expanding to surrounding restaurants may sound appeasing to a 19 year old but, just like many ideas, in practice it is a complete mess. While I’m not a huge fan of the current meal plan, and feel that prices on campus should be much more reasonable, there are much more important issues to focus on as a student body..”

Melissa Bittner “Can they use their tiger cards at Skybar and Moes?”

Response to “Auburn Gymnastics celebrates their victory over Alabama 197.275-197.250.” @cdstrick22 “War Eagle!!! Congrats on a Wonderful Victory!!” @auburngymnastics “Thanks to the BEST student section in the country and to the best fans in the land! WAR EAGLE!”

Editor-in-Chief - Jim Little

Managing Editor - Emily Esleck

NEWSROOM

ADVERTISING

CAMPUS

OPINION

Editor - Corey Williams Reporter - Andria Moore Writer - Claire Tully Writer - Ameera Steward Writer - Rachel Sprouse Writer - Jake LeGrone

Editor - Weston Sims

COMMUNITY

Submissions

Response to “SGA discusses proposal to limit coursework before finals”

255 Heisman Drive, Suite 1111, AU Student Center Auburn, AL 36849 Newsroom - (334) 844-9108 Advertising - (334) 844-9101

Kristen Keeter SOCIAL MEDIA Kris Sims MULTIMEDIA

Melissa Rice “Why would he leave for the same position?”

The Auburn Plainsman

The Editorial Board Jim Little EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Theresa Bender Manry “If this happens then I’m going to have to turn in my fan card until Auburn turns this football program around.”

Editor - Maria McIlwain Reporter - Chip Brownlee Writer - Liz Maddux Writer - Lily Jackson Writer - Alex Wilkerson Writer - Chris Jurkiewicz

SPORTS Editor - Sam Butler Asst. Editor - Evan McCullers Reporter - Emily Shoffit Reporter - C.J. Holmes Writer - Nathan Deal Writer - Bailey Rogers Writer - Andrew Monson Writer - Jonathan Hefner

COPY DESK

ADVERTISING AND MARKETING ADVISER

PHOTO AND GRAPHICS

Elizabeth Snider advertising@auburn.edu

Editor - Kris Martins Photo Editor - Dakota Sumpter Staff Photographer - Adam Sparks Staff Photographer - Ellen Jackson Staff Photographer - Jordan Hays Photographer - Megan Endt Photographer - Armand de Laureal Photographer - Matthew Bishop Photographer - Madison Ogletree Graphics Editor - Gurden Smith Graphics Designer - Sterling Waits

SOCIAL MEDIA Editor - Kristen Keeter

MULTIMEDIA Editor - Kris Sims Reporter - Parker Aultman Reporter - John Lee

INTRIGUE

EDITORIAL ADVISER

Editor - Anne Dawson Writer - Marissa Luckie Writer - Amanda Myles Writer - Ben Ruffin Writer- Rachel Williams

Alec Harvey adviser@ThePlainsman.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Caitlin Griffith admanager@ThePlainsman.com

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Lacey Gossett Lauren Bagby

DESIGNERS

Grant Peterson Montana Cole

DISTRIBUTION Dakota Sumpter Jordan Hays Zack Clark

Community Thursday, February 18, 2016

6 ThePlainsman.com

Community

NIGHTLIFE

Drag me around Auburn for the weekend Lily Jackson

COMMUNITY WRITER

When Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday, the weekend is consumed with heart-shaped candies, larger-than-life teddy bears and enough flowers to cause anyone’s allergies to flare. This weekend may have been one for love, but it was also a drag for some ... a drag show, that is.

Auburn’s nightlife isn’t always confined to downtown. I followed Marcus Gulatte, referred to as Aalora DiArmani on stage, as he performed in a classic bar scene on Friday, Feb. 12, and then switched gears to perform for Auburn Spectrum’s “What A Drag” charity event, Saturday, Feb. 13.

Gulatte was born and raised in Auburn. At 16 years old, he came out to his mother, and at 19, he made it publicly known that he was gay. Gulatte’s family is supportive of him.

“My mom wasn’t upset about me being gay,” Gulatte said. “She was scared of how the world would perceive me.”

Gullate’s life drastically changed when he came out to his community. While some chose to find issue with the fact that he was gay, many accepted him for who he was.

“When I came out in high school, I lost a lot of friends, but a whole wave of new ones came with being honest with myself,” Gulatte said.

According to Gulatte, many of his close friends and family have stuck with him through all of the changes.

“I really don’t think that Auburn is as rigid and conservative as everyone assumes,” Gulatte said.

“I’ve walked downtown in drag before and got compliments.”

There are many misconceptions about drag, according to Gulatte. But the most prominent is the idea that drag queens want to be women.

“I enjoy being a boy, but I also enjoy looking pretty like a woman,” Gulatte said. “It’s being the

person that you aren’t for a night. All drag is is self-expression.”

Gulatte spends his days working in cellphone sales. He recently received a job offer at an automotive dealership, where he will continue working.

As for nights, Gulatte performs at Fishizzle’s on Opelika Road every Friday at 9:30 p.m.

Gulatte is 25 years old and has been dancing for a little over a year. He began working at Stir, when he was offered a cast role at Fishizzle’s.

“They painted my face and threw me on stage,” Gulatte said.

Gulatte said he enjoys every moment of performing.

“I love it when I am performing and I can see the crowd singing and dancing along,” Gulatte said. “That energy is what makes you keep dancing every Friday night.”

He loves performing to Kelly Rowland and Jennifer Lopez, and he defines his style as classic business professional with elements of sass. Gulatte sticks to blues, reds and black when choosing outfits. He spends about $200 a month on show attire.

Gulatte and the other drag queens pulled out all the stops for Auburn Spectrum’s “What A Drag” charity event on Saturday night, Feb. 13.

According to Ashley Rogers, sophomore in elementary education, the event showcased nine professionals and two amateur drag kings.

Auburn Spectrum is a gay-straight alliance group of about 20–30 people who meet weekly. Spectrum’s event raised $1,039 for Free2Be, a charity that works to end violence while advocating for human and civil rights as well as sexual and gender minorities.

“This is a fun part of our community now, and people really love it,” Rogers said. “We are spreading awareness about drag in the best way.”

ELLEN JACKSON / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Marcus Gulatte, also known as Aalora DiArmani, performed at the on-campus “What a Drag” event.

From a drag queen’s perspective, performing for a charity event in comparison to a bar is often more challenging, Gulatte said. Losing the straight-on eye contact causes performers to reach from a different side of themselves to really serve up an impressive act. Mustering up the energy to perform on a stage is always more challenging than being on a dance floor, according to Gulatte.

Gulatte said he spends time practicing his skills, but mostly relies on his instincts while on the floor. For those considering drag, he said to be sure it is something they want to be a part of and

EDUCATION

Community colleges could merge in July

to be confident in themselves.

“Always do your homework first,” Gulatte said. “Make sure it is something you really want to do. Then you have to make sure you are confident in yourself. Trust me, someone is going to love you.”

For the time being, Gulatte will be burning up the dance floor every Friday night at Fishizzle’s and welcomes the community to join him for some quality entertainment.

“You get one life,” Gulatte said. “At the end of the day, if you aren’t doing what makes you happy, then you won’t be happy. Plain and simple.”

RESOURCES

Chip Brownlee

COMMUNITY REPORTER

The Southern Union State Community College system may soon be gaining two sister campuses — and possibly a name change.

Pending approval in July, Southern Union will be merging with Central Alabama Community College in Alexander City and Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phenix City.

The Alabama Community College System board of trustees, the governing body of the state’s community colleges, voted in December to begin a process of streamlining and consolidation based on recommendations from the office of Mark Heinrich, the system’s chancellor.

According to Al Thompson, vice president of the community college board of trustees, the consolidation is an attempt by the state community college system to save money on administrative costs.

“From a personal standpoint, my interest in this has been so that the system can become more effective and serve its citizens more effectively,” Thompson said.

“By eliminating redundancies and the duplication of services, I think we will be much more effective in serving the needs of the citizens.”

The community colleges would be merging to form one regional community college system under the administration of Central Alabama Community College.

Susan Burrow, president of Central Alabama Community College, has been chosen as the president of the system.

All of the existing locations will remain open and existing faculty and administration will remain in their positions or shifted to another area, according to Thomp-

MATTHEW BISHOP / PHOTOGRAPHER

The meat lab is an on-campus resource open to the community.

University offers many resources to community CHIP BROWNLEE / COMMUNITY REPORTER

Southern Union may be merging with two other community colleges.

son.

“There’s a good bit of screening and approval process,” Thompson said. “Part of the process will require the system to hold public meetings in any community that’s affected by this, with public input.”

All of the branches would operate under the same name after the completion of the merger.

Southern Union is the largest community college in the proposed merger and maintains two satellite campuses in Wadley and Valley.

Central Alabama operates two satellite campuses in Childersburg and Talladega.

Chattahoochee Valley is the smallest of the three existing in the Alabama Community College System.

The system serves more than 120,000 people, according to Thompson.

“It’s really involved with workforce development in the state, which is a real key proponent of this, and a lot of other things that will go into updating and reforming the community college system,” Thompson said. “We serve such a large portion of the state that cannot afford to attend fouryear institutions. They really have no need for anything but an associate’s degree.”

Control of the Alabama community college system was transferred from the Alabama Board of Education to the newly created Alabama Community College System board of trustees in May 2015.

The board of trustees began consolidating community colleges into regional systems in December 2015.

According to Thompson, the board of trustees is unsure of the final number of consolidations.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

JORDAN HAYS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Couples swing dance at the annual Auburn Knights Valentine’s Day dance.

Liz Maddux

COMMUNITY WRITER

Auburn University and the Auburn community have an extensive variety of resources to offer students. Some resources are more talked about than others, and some might even be considered “hidden gems” strung throughout campus.

The Lambert-Powell Meats Laboratory, located at 500 Shug Jordan Parkway, is a teaching, research and extension facility that supports activities within the department of animal sciences.

“We are a fully functional facility regulated under the jurisdiction of the USDA,” said Barney Wilborn, manager of the Lambert-Powell Meats Laboratory. “We have a variety of meats and cuts at great price points. I think it means more to the students producing the meats if they know their peers and people in the community can actually benefit from it.

The meat we sell to the general public is produced entirely under inspection so you know it is safe to eat.”

Products produced within the Lambert-Powell Meats Laboratory are available in the retail sales room from 2–5 p.m. on Monday–Thursday and 11 a.m.–5 p.m. on Friday. There is fresh pork, beef, bacon, and on occasion, barbecue, smoked brisket and ham.

The Food Bank Garden is located near Auburn’s campus and produces vegetables that will be donated to the Food Bank of East Alabama.

The garden is maintained

solely by volunteers who plant and pick the produce.

The garden was founded almost a decade ago by Beth Guertal, an agronomy professor. According to Zack Ogles, Ph.D. student studying under Guertal, the garden’s purpose is to feed the less fortunate in the community.

“We strive to produce fresh vegetables for people who might not be able to afford to have vegetables as part of their diets,” Ogles said. “We have come a long way since we first started, and a lot of that we owe to our volunteers. We have had some extremely dedicated volunteers with us and none of this would have been possible without their help and dedication.”

Every Thursday, starting in May–August, the College of Agriculture hosts “The Market.” The Market features area vendors whom offer fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, ornamental plants, cut flowers, jams, jellies, baked goods, honey and cheese.

“The Market is an awesome way for the community to come out and support local growers and buy fresh vegetables, flowers,” said Laura Weeks, administrator for outreach programs.

“We even have homemade soap vendors. The Market also provides the community with the unique experience of getting to know the farmer. A lot of times, the grower is out here selling his or her produce, and I think getting to meet and know the grower of the food you are eating is a pretty unique thing these days.”

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Community 7

The Auburn Plainsman

CHARITY

Alumna prepares to Bike & Buile across America Alex Wilkerson COMMUNITY WRITER

For many students at Auburn, biking across the state seems nearly impossible, much less biking across the country.

But for Hillary Rizk, an Auburn graduate who works with the Wesley Foundation, she knew she could do one better.

The Ohio native was recently accepted to be a part of a cross-country Bike & Build trip in summer 2016.

Bike & Build is an organization that organizes bike trips across the United States where bikers can help build houses for the poor along the way.

The group builds with nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity.

The organization offers eight routes, which begin at different parts of the East Coast and end at different points on the West Coast of the continental United States.

Rizk will be biking the Southern United States route, which will take her from Jacksonville, Florida, through Monterrey, California, stopping in cities such as New Orleans, Las Vegas, Mobile and Dallas.

The route will also take Rizk past the Grand Canyon as well as other natural wonders such as Death Valley and Yellowstone National Park.

Rizk first heard about the opportunity to bike one of the routes from what she heard about her

cousin’s friend’s experience.

“I actually heard of the ride because my cousin had a friend that was doing it like three years ago, and from that point I knew I had to do this,” Rizk said.

Rizk picked up biking during her sophomore year at Auburn because she did not have a car and wanted a new sport to be involved in.

After deciding summer 2016 would be the best time to take the ride, Rizk began the application process.

Riders are expected to log 500 miles in the months before the trek. Though prior biking experience is encouraged, it is not necessary for the ride.

Rizk said she knows about several on the trip who have little biking experience, and she is amazed by their courage.

“One of our trip leaders just started training, and I told her she was super brave,” Rizk said.

“I mean, I’m a cyclist, and I’m not even ready for this trip.”

The bikers on the trip must be ready to speak about themselves and the mission of Bike & Build, as there are stops on the way where they will speak at town forums to discuss their trips.

The trips can be treacherous, as three different attendees have died on the trips, having been hit by cars along the way.

Though it is illegal for bikers to ride on side-

CONTRIBUTED BY JUSTIN VILLERE

Bike & Build participants bike aross the country building houses.

walks, whether on a trip such as this or in any community, motor vehicle drivers can be inconsiderate, when not outright dangerous.

“A couple of us were riding down the road one day and this truck pulls over in front of us, and I was a little farther behind, so at first I didn’t hear what he was saying at first, but by the time I got up there, I just see him yelling in my friend’s face, wagging his finger, saying we can’t be on the road and that there are bike lanes,” Rizk said.

“So yeah, there are some people who really don’t

understand.”

Though the trip seems difficult and dangerous at times, alumni of the trips continue to remember them fondly.

Justin Villere, Bike & Build’s director of operations and development, attended his first Bike & Build trip in 2009.

“It really is the experience of a lifetime,” Villere said. “I mean, as you’re biking from the Atlantic to the Pacific, you are making lifelong friendships along the way.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Keep Auburn Lovely continues to push for citizen task force Chip Brownlee

COMMUNITY REPORTER

The Downtown Master Plan was approved last year by the City Council, and the planning commission approved amendments last week codifying its vision as soon as March, but residents cannot escape disagreement over Auburn’s future.

Susan Hunnicutt, public relations representative for the Keep Auburn Lovely coalition, took the floor at the meeting Tuesday, Feb. 16, to reiterate

her desire for a citizen-led task force to review growth plans.

Following a public forum in January sponsored by Keep Auburn Lovely, Hunnicutt introduced the idea to the council, but the council members chose not to act.

“A couple of weeks ago I brought to y’all’s attention that I thought us appointing a task force that’s citizen-led instead of city-led might be a good idea,” Hunnicutt said.

Hunnicutt has proposed a task force of 12–19 members,

who would make recommendations from the public’s perspective to the council about development plans and regulations.

“It wouldn’t be binding by any stretch of imagination, so it’s kind of like a research project,” Hunnicutt said.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, the council encouraged Hunnicutt and members of Keep Auburn Lovely to organize their own task force without assistance from the city.

“I appreciate your passion,” said Auburn Mayor Bill Ham.

“The planning commission — and the public, as well — has been going through this for two years.”

Members of the council told Hunnicutt any input from her task force would be reviewed.

“I’m not opposed to appointments of task forces,” Ham said. “I’ve appointed a couple of them. I personally think we’re way too far down the road on this one.”

On Thursday, Feb. 11, the Auburn Planning Commission approved recommenda-

tions to amend Auburn’s comprehensive plan, CompPlan 2030, which governs zoning and building codes.

The amendments will align CompPlan 2030, which regulates the entire city, with the vision set forth in Auburn’s new Downtown Master Plan, a plan for the city’s urban center.

The recommendations will go before the City Council on March 22 for final approval.

Ward 5 city Councilwoman Lynda Tremaine voted against a conditional-use approval for

a shopping center on the corner of East Samford and Glenn avenues.

The shopping plaza would include a pharmacy and a fastfood establishment, both of which would bear a drive-thru.

According to Stone Ray, freshman in architecture, foresight by planning officials could ensure that developments do not hinder walkability.

“Moving forward, we have to think diligently, and these two approvals sound harmless, but they add up,” Ray said.

We know finding and applying for scholarships can be hard work.

With the Auburn University Scholarship Opportunity Manager (AUSOM), it has never been easier.

Through AUSOM, you can view available scholarships you may be eligible to receive, complete scholarship applications, accept your awards, and more.

Current Auburn students must complete the scholarship application through AUSOM by midnight CST on March 1 to receive consideration for General and Departmental Scholarships. Students accepted into the Nursing or Veterinary Medicine professional program or enrolled in the Pharmacy professional program should apply through AUSOM by midnight CST on June 1 to receive Departmental Scholarship consideration.

Students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)*, available online January 1 at fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA must be received by March 1 for consideration of need-based scholarships.

For more information on AUSOM and available scholarships, visit auburn.edu/scholarship. * The FAFSA is the only form a student is required to complete to be considered for student assistance from any of the Title IV, HEA programs except for information needed to ensure the student’s eligibility for such assistance (e.g., information needed to complete verification or to demonstrate compliance with the student eligibility provisions of the HEA and the regulations). Additional information, if requested, will be listed on the student’s Tiger I Financial Aid Requirements page after the student’s FAFSA results are received. For additional information, visit auburn.edu/finaid.

THIS IS AUBURN. ausom@auburn.edu /AUScholarships /AUScholarships

AUSOM_Plainsman Ad_0116.indd 1

1/27/16 3:13 PM

Sports Thursday, February 18, 2016

SCOREBOARD

GYMNASTICS

Men’s Basketball (9-14, 3-8)

8 ThePlainsman.com

Sports

Floor Eagle

FILE PHOTO

Last Week at Georgia (L, 65-55) at Tennessee (L, 71-45) vs. Vanderbilt (L, 86-57) THIS WEEK Feb. 17 at Arkansas (6 p.m.)

Feb. 20 vs. Ole Miss (4 p.m.)

UPCOMING Feb. 24 vs. Georgia (6 p.m.)

Women’s Basketball (18-8, 8-5)

Contributed by Auburn Athletics

Members of the gymnastics team celebrate with fans after securing a win over Alabama, the Tigers’ first since 1979.

file photo

LAST WEEK at Alabama (W, 59-55) at Ole Miss (W, 65-60) vs. Florida ( W, 80-58) THIS WEEK Feb. 21 vs. Missouri (2 p.m.)

GYMNASTICS

FILE PHOTO

LAST WEEK vs. Alabama (W, 197.275-197.250) THIS WEEK Feb. 19 at LSU (7:30 p.m.)

Auburn snaps 117-meet losing streak to Alabama Andrew Monson Sports Writer

It came down to the last routine.

The weight of a 117-meet losing streak to rival Alabama rested on the shoulders of Auburn’s All-American Caitlin Atkinson, yet she didn’t even know it.

“I didn’t know the score I needed,” Atkinson said.

“I still don’t even know what score I got. But I knew (the score) was within a tenth of a point or closer. I just trusted myself when it was my turn to go because I know how to do it.”

And do it she did.

Atkinson scored a 9.925 on the final floor routine, leading No. 8 Auburn to a 197.275-197.250 win over No. 4 Alabama in front of a sellout crowd in Auburn Arena, the first win for the Tigers over Alabama since 1979.

“The energy was like nothing we’ve seen this season yet, and so I really think we stayed in our bubble and just had fun with it,” said sophomore Abby Milliet. “We didn’t care what was going on on the other side.”

The pressure of the moment never fazed Atkinson, and she credited her teammates for helping her keep composure.

“They trust me and believe in me, so that allows me to trust myself in the anchor spot,” Atkinson said.

“A lot of trust from teammate to teammate I think is a

really big key, and I think we have that. It’s spectacular to do this, and our team is going to keep building off this. We’re going to feed off of it, and we still have a lot of places to go.”

The meet marked the first time this season the Tigers broke 197, and coach Jeff Graba was happy to do it in front of the home fans.

“I really think this is for the Auburn Family and for our fans,” Graba said. “We want to look up and be able to give them what they’ve given us. This is really special to us, and it’s really something we wanted to share with them ... It’s a lot of fun on that end, but it’s also validation of this program, making it into a top-five program on a consistent basis, not just a fluke.”

Graba put the losing streak in context afterward.

“I know it’s been a long time,” Graba said. “I know Jimmy Carter was president last time we won. I asked the girls if they even knew who he was, and they remembered the name but just from the history books.”

Even with the history made, Atkinson and the team were happier with just beating their archrival.

“It means everything,” Atkinson said. “This is my last dual meet against Alabama, and when you come into a rivalry like this, your goal is to always come on top against your rival. To finally do that as a senior, it means everything, and I think it means a lot for the team.”

The Tigers began the night on vault with a 49.275, led by Atkinson’s 9.900.

On bars, Auburn scored a season-high 49.300. Atkinson and Milliet each scored a 9.900 to lead the Tigers.

Auburn scored another season-high with 49.250 on beam, and Atkinson led the Tigers again with a season-high 9.925.

The Tigers finished on floor with a 49.450, led by Atkinson’s meet-clinching 9.925.

In the end, seven season-highs were set, but while Graba wants his team to enjoy the moment, the team focus will not change.

“Our philosophy is a postseason philosophy,” Graba said. “This is a lot of fun, and this is a feather in their cap. They own this and can take this for the rest of their life, but let’s not get carried away short-term.

Let’s be focused on what we’re going to do in the future. We’ve still got a lot of work ahead of us. It wasn’t a perfect night. We can get better than what we did tonight. You can’t take this thing away from them, but you can’t get carried away too much with it.”

Auburn is now 3-3 on the season and 2-3 in the SEC. Up next for the Tigers is a road meet at LSU Friday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m.

UPCOMING Feb. 26 vs. Missouri (7 p.m.)

SOFTBALL (5-0)

FILE PHOTO

LAST WEEK Plainsman Invitational (Combined score, 87-10) THIS WEEK Feb. 17 at UCF (9 a.m.)

Feb. 19 vs. Oklahoma State/USF (2:45/5 p.m.)

Feb. 20 vs. James Madison/DePaul (11:15 a.m./1:45 p.m.)

Contributed by Auburn Athletics

Kullen Hlawek performs her routine on the beam during No. 8 Auburn’s 197.275-197.250 win over No. 4 Alabama.

S H O E GIGANTIC SHOE ROOM SALE

FAMOUS NAME BRANDS FOR LESS

Voted #1 Great Brands & Best Prices Hundreds of Brands Thousands of Shoes Save 35% - 80% off of Dept Store Prices 941 Opelika Road, Auburn, AL 334.821.5367 w w w. t h e s h o e r o o m . c o m M-F 10-7 :: Sat 9-6 :: Sun 1-5

Thursday, February 18, 2016

The Auburn Plainsman

Sports 9

SOFTBALL

Myers has softball team poised for successful 2016

Nathan Deal Sports Writer

As the Florida Gators finished off a 3-2 win in extra innings over Auburn in May, Tigers coach Clint Myers and his players had to come to terms with leaving Oklahoma City without the national championship trophy.

As dismaying as the season-ending loss was, the sting of defeat was outweighed by the realization that Auburn softball had officially arrived.

Auburn finished the season 56-11 with an SEC Tournament title, a Women’s College World Series berth and the No. 3 spot in the final rankings, just behind national champion Florida and national runner-up Michigan.

The Tigers broke the SEC record for runs scored in a season with 526 and knocked a school-record 99 balls out of the park.

Following what was by far the best season in program history, Auburn has the potential to be even better in 2016.

There are numerous reasons for optimism for Tigers fans, but the biggest beacon of hope is Myers, who won national championships at Arizona State in 2008 and 2011 and guided the Sun Devils to seven WCWS appearances in eight seasons.

Myers is 98-30-1 in his first two seasons on The Plains, the winningest two-year stretch in program history.

He has raised the bar at Auburn in only a couple of seasons.

The Tigers, who are ranked No. 4 in the preseason rankings, are arguably the most experienced team in the nation.

Gone are outfielders Morgan Estell and Branndi Melero, but every other member of 2015's starting lineup returns this season.

The 2016 Tigers have nine seniors on the roster, including Tiffany Howard, Emily Carosone, Jade Rhodes, Madison Dickey, Maria Mitchell, Kelsey Bogaards, Rachael Walters, Marcy Harper and Lexi Davis.

Their combined 37 seasons of experience, as well as their experience leading Auburn to the WCWS, could prove pivotal to Auburn’s success.

Infielders Haley Fagan and Bogaards are battling injuries, but Myers believes they are both

File Photo

The 2015 Auburn softball team poses with their SEC Championship rings after a scrimmage in October.

recovering well and shouldn’t be absent for too long.

With only three players from 2015’s 26-player roster gone, the Tigers had a chance to build depth and continue the program’s positive momentum through recruiting, and that is exactly what they did. Auburn signed nine recruits, with three coming from Florida, two coming from Georgia and Alabama each, one coming from Louisiana and one from California.

With 900 seats being added to Jane B. Moore

Field, the Tigers will have an even bigger homefield advantage than they did one season ago.

In 2015, Auburn went 32-3 at home, outscoring opponents 306-116, an average score of approximately 9-3.

Half of the Tigers’ home wins came via the mercy rule.

Even with these expectations, it isn’t national title or bust for Auburn in 2016.

The SEC is the nation’s best softball conference, as seven teams, besides Auburn, are

ranked: No. 1 Florida, No. 3 LSU, No. 5 Alabama, No. 8 Tennessee, No. 12 Georgia, No. 15 Missouri and No. 18 Kentucky.

Texas A&M and Mississippi State were the first two teams to miss the top 25.

Navigating the SEC is treacherous, as always.

However, with Myers at the helm and a veteran roster hungry to continue 2015’s successes, the Tigers have the potential to be as good as any team in college softball.

BASKETBALL

Around the SEC: Former Wildcats and a Gator put on a show

Anger Management: Ulis, Murray carry Cal-less Wildcats over South Carolina

ing 41-27 at halftime and led by as many as 34 points late in the game to go along with 11 made 3-pointers.

Michael Carrera finished with 25 points and his seventh double-double of the season, but he couldn’t save the Gamecocks (21-4, 8-4 SEC) from their worst home loss since 2012. The Wildcats are now tied with LSU atop the SEC at 9-3.

Final: No. 22 Kentucky 89, South Carolina 62

Not Ideal: Texas A&M drops its fourth straight in Baton Rouge

C.J. Holmes sports@ThePlainsman.com

UK: Tyler Ulis 27 pts, 12 ast, 2 stl And we thought Frank Martin was the hot head.

After jumping out to a 5-2 lead 2:26 into the game, an over-the-back foul on South Carolina forward Mindaugas Kacinas led to a looselipped John Calipari, who was then promptly ejected following a heated — and borderline violent — exchange with referee Doug Sirmons.

The Wildcats, however, were unbothered by their coach’s absence. Kentucky (19-6, 9-3 SEC) cruised in this one, fueled by sophomore point guard Tyler Ulis — who had career-highs in both points and assists — and Jamal Murray, who continued his dominant freshman campaign with 26 points and five rebounds.

Kentucky went into the locker room lead-

Final: LSU 76, No. 15 Texas A&M 71 LSU: Ben Simmons 16 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk When you shoot 55.8 percent on the road, you’re almost guaranteed to head back to campus with a win, right?

Wrong. The free-falling Aggies (18-7, 7-5 SEC) connected on 29 of their 52 shot attempts against the Tigers on Saturday, but turned the ball over 19 times to LSU’s nine and were outscored 23-6 at the charity stripe. Not exactly a winning formula in hostile territory.

Ben Simmons somehow managed to put up another freakish stat line despite shooting a mediocre 4 for 11 from the field, and Keith Hornsby added 15 points and an emotional lift af-

ter outracing two Aggie guards for a loose ball midway through the second half.

Craig Victor II was also impressive around the basket, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the second half in 25 minutes of action.

LSU (16-9, 9-3 SEC) moves to 6-0 at home in SEC play, while Billy Kennedy’s club is now on the verge of being unranked.

SEC in the NBA: Davis, Wall, Cousins and Horford put on a show in Toronto Final: West 196, East 173 Three former Kentucky Wildcats and a Florida Gator represented the SEC in this year’s NBA All-Star Game in Toronto, Canada, putting up some impressive numbers in the highest scoring All-Star Game in league history.

Anthony Davis, now a franchise center for the New Orleans Pelicans, led all SEC players with 24 points, six rebounds and a few thunderous dunks that reminded us all of Kentucky’s dominant NCAA Tournament run back in 2012.

Davis’ predecessor, John Wall, showed off his otherworldly speed and athleticism in his third career All-Star nod. The Washington Wizards superstar finished with 22 points, three rebounds and three assists, and his old Wildcat running mate and current Sacramento King, DeMarcus Cousins, added 11 points on 5 for 5

Keith Allison via WikiMedia Commons

John Wall of the Washington Wizards joined former Kentucky Wildcats Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins — the latter of whom was his teammate during his time in college — in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, which the West won 196-173, setting a record for combined points by both teams.

Keith Allison via WikiMedia Commons

Al Horford, who played at Florida, was one of four former SEC players to be in the NBA All-Star Game.

shooting in his second All-Star appearance.

Ex-Gator Al Horford, who replaced Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh on the Eastern Conference roster, had a quiet night, scoring 7 points in nine minutes and 25 seconds of playing time.

C.J. can be reached at sports@ThePlainsman.com.

Sports 10

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, February 18, 2016

This Week in Auburn Sports Men’s Basketball Feb. 13 vs. Vanderbilt L, 86-57

Despite another double-double from Cinmeon Bowers, Auburn once again struggled to find a consistent rhythm on offense and fell to Vanderbilt, 86-57 Saturday night, Feb. 13, the seventh consecutive game the Tigers have dropped.

With the news Thursday, Feb. 11, that Kareem Canty would no longer be with the team as he leaves to enter the NBA Draft, the Tigers were forced to scramble.

Bowers poured in 12 points and 15 rebounds, but Auburn shot 29 percent from the field on the night, while Vanderbilt connected on 49.3 percent of its shots.

After falling behind early, the Tigers were within 18-15 of the Commodores, but Vanderbilt went on a 19-7 run to end the half and enter the break up 37-22.

The visitors coasted through the second half, pushing their lead to as much as 38 points with less than seven minutes remaining.

TJ Lang and Bryce Brown each added 14 points for Auburn, who fell to 9-15 (3-9) on the year.

The Tigers will be on the road at Arkansas on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. as they look to pick up their first conference road win of the year.

Women’s Basketball Feb. 14 vs. Florida W, 80-58

Moments after the buzzer sounded at Auburn Arena on Sunday, the Auburn bench poured onto the court to celebrate.

Just outside the mob of pink uniforms, senior forward Tra’Cee Tanner and coach Terri Williams-Flournoy embraced near midcourt.

For the first time in their four years on The Plains, the two were a part of a regular-season victory over Florida, which had defeated the

Tigers in each regular-season meeting since Jan. 6, 2011.

The 80-58 win gave Auburn its second win over a top-25 team this season, the most since 2009-10, and inched the Tigers closer to an elusive NCAA Tournament bid.

“We knew this was a game that we could kind of steal,” said Katie Frerking, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead Auburn.

“Across the board, everybody came out and did everything that they could do to help us win, and I’m just so proud of everybody.”

Florida entered the game ranked ninth in the country in scoring offense, and the Gators ran wild in the first half.

Senior guard Carlie Needles hit three 3-pointers in the first five minutes to give the Gators an early lead, and Florida scored 43 points on 55.2 percent shooting in the first 20 minutes.

As hot as the visitors were, they couldn’t keep up with the Tigers.

Auburn scored 48 in the first half, which was the second-most in a half this season.

“We were scoring,” Williams-Flournoy said. “Our offensive game was at its best, but I told them at halftime that we had given up 43 points, and we had to do a better job defensively.”

Auburn was not just better in the second half. It was dominant.

The Tigers’ press wore down the Gators, who scored a season-low 15 points and had 12 turnovers in the second half.

“That was the game, right there,” WilliamsFlournoy said.

Auburn was in ESPN analyst Charlie Creme’s projected NCAA Tournament field last week, but Creme listed the Tigers as one of his last four teams in.

After its fifth straight win likely put it in the tournament comfortably with three regular season games remaining, Auburn can breathe easy as it heads into an off week before a home tilt with Missouri next Sunday.

“They’re humble,” Williams-Flournoy said. “But they’re hungry.”

Softball

Feb. 14 vs. Appalachian State W, 22-5 Auburn’s hot bats continued into Sunday, Feb. 14, as the Tigers pounded Appalachian State, 22-5, to close the Plainsman Invitational.

The Tigers plated nine runs in the top of the first, but the Mountaineers scratched four runs across in the bottom of the inning.

After a silent second inning, Auburn broke the game open in the third. Jenna Abbott cranked a grand slam to extend the lead to 134, and Jade Rhodes added a homer of her own shortly after. Three more runs in the inning gave the Tigers a 17-4 lead.

Courtney Shea’s three-run home run in the fourth inning made the score 20-4, and Auburn added another pair of runs in the fifth to reach the final score of 22-5.

Pitcher Kaylee Carlson picked up her second win of the year after hurling three innings, allowing four runs on four hits.

She walked a pair of Mountaineers and struck out one. Lexi Davis pitched two scoreless innings, and Rachael Walters pitched a perfect fifth inning to seal the win.

In the five games they played over the course of the Invitational, the Tigers outscored their opponents 87-10.

They’ll be back in action Wednesday, Feb. 17, when Auburn travels to Orlando, Florida, to play No. 17 University of Central Florida.

Track & Field

Feb. 12 Don Kirby Invitational Auburn sent athletes to three indoor track meets over the weekend, but the Tigers’ best performances came at the Don Kirby Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Senior Jessie Johnson broke her own school record in the pole vault, while senior Shawn Johnson took gold in the men’s triple jump.

Johnson cleared 4.32 meters (14 feet, 2

inches), good for first among collegiate athletes and second overall at the competition.

Her vault was the sixth highest nationally this season.

Shawn improved his jump by 17 inches on his sixth and final attempt to win.

On Friday, Feb. 12, senior Samantha Scarlett won the 60-meter dash at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Scarlett set a personal record with a 8.14 seconds, which is the fifth-fastest time in the country this season and the second-fastest time in school history.

Equestrian

Feb. 13 at No. 2 Georgia W, 12-8 In a showdown between the top two teams in the country, the No. 1 Auburn equestrian team trounced No. 2 Georgia, 12-8, Saturday, Feb. 13, to sweep the regular season series with the Bulldogs.

The Tigers opened the day with a 3-2 win in Horsemanship, where seniors Griffin Knight and Hannah Loseke picked up wins, as did freshman Lauren Diaz.

Auburn took home a second 3-2 win in Equitation over Fences, led by three freshmen.

Hayley Iannotti, Caitlin Boyle and Ashton Alexander each secured their matchups, with Iannotti claiming the biggest margin of victory in the category, an 83-75 win over Alex Marcic.

Senior Elizabeth Benson, Alexander, Boyle and junior Ashley Foster collected four more wins for Auburn in Equitation on the Flat, and the Tigers sealed the deal with a pair of wins in Reining.

Loseke was named Most Outstanding Player in Horsemanship, while Boyle took home MOP honors in Equitation on the Flat.

The No. 1 Tigers will return to action against defending national champion South Carolina Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. at the Auburn University Horse Center.

Compiled by Sam Butler and Evan McCullers

LEFT: Adam Sparks / Photographer RIGHT: Contributed by Auburn Athletics

LEFT: Bree Fornis connects on a grand slam to right center on Saturday during Auburn’s win over Butler. RIGHT: Katie Frerking drives to the basket in Auburn’s 80-58 win over No. 16 Florida on Sunday.

FOOTBALL

Auburn lands Illinois graduate transfer Sam Butler

FAB FINDS at

Sports Editor

Last year, Blake Countess transferred from Michigan to Auburn.

This year, it’s T.J. Neal from Illinois.

The linebacker, who will be a senior, registered 109 tackles and 14 tackles for loss with the Fighing Illini last year. Neal chose Auburn over West Virginia, he announced on his Twitter account Tuesday.

“It has been a honor to be given a chance to play college football,” Neal wrote on Twitter. “For my senior year, I chose to sign with University of Auburn. I want to thank the coaching staff at the University of Auburn for giving me this opportunity.

Also, I want to thank my family, friends, and significant other for helping me through this uncomfortable time. I am excited for this next chapter in my life. I want to give God the glory for this great opportunity that he has presented me with.”

He’ll help fill a void left by departing seniors Cassanova McKinzy and Kris Frost and will presumably step up into a starting role with Tre’ Williams.

Neal appeared in 38 games with Illinois over his career and totaled 245 tackles.

ANGEL’S

Architectural Elements We Don’t Just Do Antiques!

Open Everyday 10-7 • Sundays 1-5 www.angelsantiqueandfleamall.com 900 Columbus Pkwy. • Opelika, AL 36801 Tyler Courtney / The Daily Illini

T.J. Neal (in white) sacks Purdue quarterback David Blough.

334-745-3221

Intrigue

Thursday, February 18, 2016

11 ThePlainsman.com

Intrigue

Safety

A look inside the Lee County SWAT Team

Ben Ruffin

Intrigue Writer

Nearly 30 times a year, 30 men suit up donning vests, gas masks, radio, communications systems and an assigned weapon to carry out drug search warrants or assist in any barricaded or hostage situation.

Lt. Scott Mingus of the Auburn Police Division is the commander of the Auburn SWAT Team, which is a part of the Lee County SWAT Team, a combination of four departments.

Constructed in 2000, the team is one of few countywide SWAT teams remaining in the state.

Mingus requires the members be of the utmost physical and mental health.

To find suitable candidates, the potential members are scored by Mingus and a panel on certain categories, including an obstacle course and “a couple of shooting drills.”

“What we do is we try to see what their effort is and see how they interact with other guys, because it takes a special person to do this job,” Mingus said.

The first of two training sessions a month was conducted in a house set for demolition. According to Opelika Police Sgt. Rob Cook, it is typical for people to donate houses set for demolition for SWAT team training.

“This type of training allows us to put all of the tactics we work on together into one event,” Cook said. “We try to integrate as many parts of the team as possibl: use of snipers, medics and

Contributed by Lt. Scott Mingus

The Auburn SWAT Team is a part of the Lee County SWAT Team.

so on.”

Although the situations are highly stressful, combining the four teams has given the SWAT team more personnel to choose from when it receives the call to go out.

Mingus said combining the teams has eased the stress on each department compared to the early 1990s, when the SWAT team had limited personnel to choose from.

However, stress still remains. Whether it be entering a home to be welcomed by gunfire or waiting 12 hours during a standoff, the situations tend to always have some sort of tension.

Technology

Mingus recalled one deployment that dealt with a guy who had a number of mental issues and who was deemed a threat to himself and others.

As patrol responded, they spoke with their supervisors, then deeming it a SWAT-worthy situation.

In this instance, it turned out to be a 12-hour standoff, something Mingus said is physically and mentally exhausting.

“Those kinds of nights take a little bit out of you because you hurry up and you wait, but it turned out the best possible way,” Mingus said.

“The luxury of having the Lee County SWAT Team makes it a lot easier.”

Although the team prepares for numerous situations, the Lee County SWAT Team now teaches a class called Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Program, a requirement for admission into the academy.

ALERRT deals with how to handle a mass shooting if one was to occur. Initiated because of the Columbine shootings, ALERRT teaches patrol officers it is their responsibility to act immediately once on the scene, a tactic utilized in the San Bernardino shooting this past December.

“It gets everyone together strategically if a mass shooting was to occur,” said Capt. Chris Wallace of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

“Ever since Columbine, response is different. Instead of waiting for SWAT, the first officers there go in and try to get the situation in control.”

When receiving the call to respond to a situation, Mingus said fear is always there, but it’s up to the team member to cope with it, something everyone does a different way.

The officers put their lives on the line every day and understand they have to go out and do their job, which won’t get done unless they do it despite whatever fear they are dealing with, Mingus said.

“You just learn how to deal with it,” Mingus said. “That’s why you train. That’s why we put in the extra effort not to quit. And like I said, this team we have is one of the best in the state.”

Health

A better TigerCard is out there Free student health services Rachel Williams Intrigue Writer

There are countless times I’ve had to dig out my TigerCard, exasperated and frustrated, with my hands full of books, bags or food.

Almost every student swipes or scans their TigerCard at some point during the day. It is required to get food, workout, check out books or enter dorms or labs.

The TigerCard works, but it’s a bit of an archaic hassle.

The first step toward improvement would be a proximity card.

This system, which is common at other universities, such as the University of Texas at Austin, would replace the magnetic strip and make scenarios involving the TigerCard

much less of a hassle.

The card doesn’t need to be taken out; it just needs to be nearby a reader. A student could have the card in their bag to open a door.

Another way to bring a simpler system of monetary exchange to campus would be to use smart cards through the use of near field technology.

NFC is becoming increasingly prevalent in everyday technology and on campuses.

It allows wireless communication between devices, and the most exciting application is digitizing payment in smartphones.

The TigerCard could have this capability if it went mobile.

Students with NFC-enabled phones would only need their smart phone to gain access to facilities or pay for goods.

I cannot say what barriers exist in Auburn that have thus

far prevented the adoption of a smart TigerCard or even of the already widespread proximity cards.

Auburn stands to benefit financially by updating. Staffing and administrative costs would be reduced.

Dorm swipe access devices could be proximity enabled, and for some of the NFC payment services, any existing magnetic swipe payment device is automatically enabled.

We’d love a proactive Auburn. Technology and innovation is what a higher institution should celebrate and embrace, right?

Auburn is behind the curve, part of the minority of schools using old ID card technology.

It wouldn’t be difficult to make this change. The technology is already there.

Rachel can be reached at intrigue@ThePlainsman.com.

Sterling Waits / graphics designer

A newer, smarter TigerCard would decrease hassle for students.

Grayson Temple Intrigue Writer

There are nine dimensions of wellness, according to the Health Promotion and Wellness Services at Auburn. They are physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, environmental, occupational, financial and cultural.

The Auburn University Medical Clinic and Recreation and Wellness Center are two of the main resources students have in terms of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

At a university, intellectual wellness is exercised in the classroom. But the other dimensions are exercised as well.

While all are important, the University offers students services to keep them emotionally well, and they have been utilized more than ever before in the last few years.

Taylor Wesley, senior in communications and psychology, was elected Miss Homecoming 2015 after running on a platform that promoted mental wellness throughout campus. Through her campaign, she raised awareness and money for mental health resources on campus.

“Auburn provided the proper support system that I needed in order to continue my recovery in the most effective way possible,” Wesley said. “When I received the proper help I needed, I was able to gain the strength and knowledge to give back to the University.”

Student Counseling Services, located on the second floor of the medical clinic, offers animal-assisted therapy, opportu-

tradition

Leap Year traditions: unlike other holidays Grayson Temple Intrigue Writer

“Will you marry me?” Mary asked Blake.

That’s not something you hear every day. It is something you might hear every four years, though.

Women proposing to men is a common tradition that takes place every Leap Day. Irish tradition states women are encouraged to get down on one knee and propose to their boyfriends on this special day, according to irishcentral.com.

Feb. 29, more specifical-

ly known as Leap Day, occurs every four years, and this year it’s back.

This day is added to the calendar every four years in order to make sure the Earth continues its timely orbit around the sun, according to history.com It takes the Earth about 365.25 days to orbit the sun.

Given this number, an extra day is added every four years, giving one year out of every four 366 days.

Julius Caesar is considered the “Father of Leap Year” because it began with the Julian calendar.

However, the Gregorian calendar is the one we use today, but in the midst of chang-

es, it kept a Leap Day. Babies born on Leap Day are also known as “leaplings,” according to timeanddate.com.

There is not an official day leaplings must celebrate their birthday.

It appears some people get engaged on Leap Day, and some people even have anniversaries.

Like the leaplings, they could celebrate the day before or after.

However, if they want to make their anniversary extra special, they could celebrate every four years, on their actual anniversary, and make that one count.

It’s probably easier to re-

member the date that way.

In the past year, marriage equality among gender was legalized and a woman is seriously campaigning for president of the Untied States.

Maybe Leap Day will take on a new tradition in four years as traditional roles taken on by a specific gender, such as the man proposing to the woman, seem to be losing their tradition.

Whether or not you are celebrating with a unique engagement, Leap Day only comes once every four years, so live it up, friends.

Grayson can be reached at intrigue@ThePlainsman.com

Gurden Smith / Graphics Editor

Mental health remains important for students.

nities to relax, screening sessions, group counseling sessions and individual counseling sessions.

On top of that, all of these services are free.

Kristee Treadwell, licensed psychologist and assistant director for student clinical services, said students are informed of these services at Camp War Eagle and through ongoing outreaches in classrooms.

“We participate regularly in national screening days, such as National Depression Screening Day,” Treadwell said. “It can be easy to not realize you’re experiencing depression symptoms.”

Anxiety and depression are two of the most common health concerns on college campuses, according to Treadwell.

In the last few years, student counseling services have been in higher demand.

“I’ve been here five years in my position, and in doing annual reviews each year, there has been an increase in the need for our services,” Treadwell said.

It could be a combination

of different factors, according to Treadwell. In some regards, the counseling center hopes the increased need in the last few years is because students are more comfortable in seeking help and because they are more aware of them.

“It is important to know that currently it is not impossible to get into student counseling, but those with more significant issues will be admitted first,” Wesley said. “As I see it, mental health is just as important as physical health for a student’s overall well-being and ability to be productive in school.”

Treadwell said there should be an ongoing awareness of talking about mental health.

“Even while we’re seeing increased mental health concerns, we do have the resources to be able to help the student function in the academic environment,” Treadwell said.

With the help of services offered by Student Counseling Services, students have the opportunity to exercise the sound mind and sound body they are so often encouraged to maintain.

Come in to Quiet Comfort

Pet Friendly On - site Management Tiger Transit Water & Garbage Included 4 Blocks from Campus We Rent Apar tments , No Bedrooms Not w w w. lemanssquare. com

Intrigue 12

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Best-selling author to come to Auburn Entertainment

Anne Dawson intrigue editor

Tim Dorsey graduated from Auburn in 1983 with a degree in transportation. Fast-forward to today, when Dorsey is a New York Times bestselling author, having written 19 books.

Dorsey said he knew he wanted to be a writer his sophomore year of high school. After approaching his teacher to voice his lack of interest in the class material, the teacher introduced him to more books and authors that he soon fell in love with.

Dorsey came to Auburn in 1979, where he said he started off as an engineering major in Navy ROTC. Once he finished two years, he wanted to change his major to journalism. Since he would

not be able to graduate in four years if he did so, he switched to transportation to graduate in time.

During his time at Auburn, he worked as the editor-in-chief of The Auburn Plainsman.

“Working for The Plainsman was essential,” Dorsey said. “I started learning to write at short lengths and built up my ability to write longer.”

After graduating, Dorsey worked for three years for the Alabama Journal, an evening newspaper. He was then hired by The Tampa Tribune.

While working at The Tampa Tribune, he said he began to write his first novel, “Florida Roadkill.” He kept the novel a secret until two weeks before it went on sale and then turned in his two weeks notice.

Since then, Dorsey has written many oth-

er books, and has been on The New York Times best-seller list several times.

Dorsey said there is even a television series currently in the works based on “Florida Roadkill.”

“This, to me, is winning the lottery,” Dorsey said. “It’s like playing an instrument you love.”

Dorsey said he has found inspiration through several authors such as Carl Hiaasen, Dave Barry, Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut.

Dorsey will be returning to Auburn to hold a book signing in the Auburn University Bookstore as part of the tour for his new book, “Coconut Cowboy.”

The signing will take place Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m.

Contributed by Tim DOrsey

Tim Dorsey is a New York Times best-selling author.

Business

Auburn student helps launch online trading post for students Ben Ruffin

INtrigue Writer

Riley Tart, senior in architecture, has helped launch an online college trading post. MidTrade.net is a website where college students can make money by selling items to other students at their universities.

It is similar to Craigslist.com, but Tart, the head of the marketing team, has found a way to keep it in the college community only.

“MidTrade is exclusive to college students,” Tart said. “A user has to have a university .edu email in order to join. This creates a more controlled and safer environment to buy, sell and trade goods.”

Launched September 2015 at three schools — Auburn University, Eastern Carolina University and the Naval Academy — MidTrade.net has reached schools all across the country.

With nearly 4,000 registered members and growing, MidTrade benefits from the Naval, Air Force and Army academies.

The numbers at these schools are higher, considering most of the MidTrade team are actively serving

military members who either attend one of the schools or previously attended one of them.

Andy Bonn, chief executive officer and graduate of the Naval Academy, credits the response at the military schools to the amount of military items such as boots, belts and other items the school requires the students to have.

“We have to have certain apparel at these schools, so it’s much easier and cheaper to get on MidTrade and find a pair of gently used boots than it is to go to the store and buy a brand new pair,” Bonn said.

As simple as signing up, logging on and entering the trading post, shoppers can view the items for sale at their respective campus and either bid on the item to lower the price or email the person to buy the item right then.

It is then between the buyer and seller to arrange the transaction, which sometimes takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish.

Although the website has helped college students make and save money, Tart admits their focus is not completely on money right now but instead is looking at the future of the company,

To Place an Ad, Call 334-844-9101 or E-mail admanager@theplainsman.com

Spring Break BAHAMAS SPRING BREAK $189 for 5-Days. All prices include: Round-trip luxury party cruise. Accommodations on the island at your choice of ten resorts.

Appalachia Travel. www.BahamaSun.com 800-867-5018

Employment ultimate side business, residual income, no monthly fees. $50 off until Mar 30, promo code “2016” www.rxcut.biz/ rXn00173

Wine Night Wednesday 4 pm - Close $2.50 / Glass $8 Bottles

Contributed by riley tart

MidTrade is an online college trading post for students.

focusing on generating advertisements and gaining more users.

“In the near future, we plan on making money through advertisement on the student discount page and concert page,” Tart said. “Then we want to charge businesses and venues to post.

But for right now, we are trying to build our user base before charging.”

In order to generate advertisements, Tart and the team have reached out to

their customer base and have offered compensation for any individual who brings a company that is looking to advertise on the website.

“I mean, we’re being advertised on Facebook now and obviously that is huge for us, for our company, even for the members of the website because now more people will see it and add items for sale,” Tart said.

Tart said he believes the website is a

Tigermarket

ALMOST ANYTHING BUY . SELL . TRADE -Retro Video Games -Vinyl Records -Comics, Collectibles - Magic Cards -Posters &Art -Phones, IPads & Laptops

JOIN THE STAFF OF

P The Auburn Plainsman +

THEP LAINSMAN.COM

(we buy broken phones/laptops)

334 - 741 - 0808 221 S. 9TH ST. OPELIKA, AL 36801 NEXT TO LEE COUNT Y COURTHOUSE

Looking for: writers ∙ editors ∙ photographers ∙ videographers ∙ graphic designers ∙ and more

APPLY NOW! Applications available online at ThePlainsman.com or in the

Plainsman office ∙ AUSC 1111 ∙

service students should take advantage of. Having looked at issues students face, Tart said he designed MidTrade to be a problem-solver.

“MidTrade consolidated what students did most: buy and sell things, organize rides and try to solve any problem a college student might have,” Tart said. “The functions are products of reoccurring problems that typical college students have.”

Print Deadline Noon three business days prior to publication