Spring Fashion special section inside
The Auburn Plainsman
A Spirit That Is Not Afraid
Thursday, March 12, 2015 Vol. 121, Issue 32, 24 Pages
First copy is free. Additional copies 50 cents per issue.
football
Online
From sidelines to gridiron Jeremy Johnson top contender for quarterback
ThePlainsman.com Slideshow: Obama’s visit to Selma inside campus
Eric Wallace Sports Editor
It’s been a long two years for Jeremy Johnson. The No. 5 overall quarterback in the class of 2013, according to Rivals. com, Johnson has spent the majority of the last two seasons watching from the sideline as the Nick Marshall-led Tigers raced to SEC and BCS Championship Games.
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University handles contamination
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Height: 6-5 Weight: 240 CAREER STARTS 2013 VS. W. CAROLINA 17-OF-21 201 YDS FOUR TDS
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Streets shut down to straighten new Oak
2014 VS. ARKANSAS 12-OF-16, 243 YDS TWO TDS
sports
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photos by emily enfinger / photo editor
Jeremy Johnson speaks about working with the first-string players in practice.
going to move right,” Johnson said. “That’s the type of leader I’m trying to become for this team.” While turnover will be widespread, the return of wide receiver D’haquille Williams gives Johnson a target with whom he’s already built chemistry. “It really wasn’t a big surprise to me because me and him had already talked about it,” Johnson said. “It was just a matter of him making his own decision.” It won’t be easy stepping into the limelight as the face of a top SEC program, but Johnson said he’s comfortable with the pressure as he strives to win a national championship. “It’s a lot of pressure, but you know
He got a lot of practice reps in the last two years. We have a lot of confidence in Jeremy, but he’s going to have to go out there and win the starting job.” —Gus Malzahn football coach
you can’t post or say certain things because your image is different from somebody else’s,” Johnson said.
alumni spotlight
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Soccer prepares for exhibition games
Former editor reflects on civil rights coverage
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Jim Little
intrigue
Community Editor
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Humans vs. Zombies pending University approval index Campus Opinions Community Sports Intrigue
But now Marshall is gone, and as spring practice begins this week, there’s no bigger favorite for the job than the “matured” Johnson. “God has a plan for everybody, and his plan for me was to sit out,” Johnson said. “Now that my team is here, I’m looking to win the starting job and be the man.” Coach Gus Malzahn has long said Johnson could have started for other Division I schools, but said his experiences as a backup will pay dividends. “It’s very valuable, the fact that he’s been in our program for two years,” Malzahn said. “He ran a very similar offense in high school, so he understands everything that goes with it. He got a lot of practice reps the last two seasons. We have a lot of confidence in Jeremy, but he’s going to have to go out there and win the starting job.” Johnson isn’t the only new face on the Tiger offense. With the departures of starters such as Cameron Artis-Payne, Sammie Coates, C.J. Uzomah and three offensive lineman, Johnson said it is vital to build chemistry with the new faces. “My specific goal for the spring is to win the starting job and become a leader on this team,” Johnson said. “I want to build the chemistry with this team. It’s a new team.” Johnson said he feels comfortable in a leadership role and hopes he can lead this season. “If I say to move right, then everybody is
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It was a hot and muggy summer day in 1964 in a small Georgia town outside of Atlanta. The 1964-65 editor for The Auburn Plainsman was covering a standoff between civil rights demonstrators and a crowd of white townspeople for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Don Phillips was originally an engineering major, but decided to change his major to journalism because he said he wanted to graduate quicker. After graduating, Phillips went on to work for the United Press International wire service and became Atlanta bureau manager in 1969. In 1970, he moved to Washington, D.C. and covered Congress. In 1985, Phillips moved to The Wash-
phillips as editor 1965 ington Post and covered transportation. Phillips retired from journalism in 2006 after working at The International Herald Tribune, now known as the International New York Times. On that summer day in 1964, however, Phillips was just a young reporter, trying to not be discovered by an angry mob as he later described in the March 10, 1965, issue of The Plainsman. “The crowd was drunk, and some were showing off brass
When the demonstrators leave (and they will) and emotion subsides, calm reason must prevail. We can no longer afford to slip back into the comfort of our myths and hide our eyes from the truth. We must all make a superhuman effort to understand.”
phillips 2014 knuckles, knives and even guns,” Phillips wrote in his column, “How do reporters feel covering a race story?” in The Plainsman. “I smiled as though I was talking to my girlfriend. I didn’t know what they would do to me if they discovered who I was, but I wasn’t about to find out.” Today, Phillips recalls those days as “heady times.” Harold Franklin was the first African-American student to enroll at Auburn on Jan. 4,
—Don Phillips
1965 editor for the Auburn plainsman
1964. “There were lots of people working then to make sure we weren’t another George Wallace in the schoolhouse door type thing, like the University of Alabama,” Phillips said. On Franklin’s first day, police sealed off campus and only allowed faculty, students and members of the press onto Auburn’s campus.
The Plainsman published several editorials criticizing the University administration for moving too slow with integration. “For, I guess, four of the five years leading up to and, I guess, including me, the editors were extremely liberal,” Phillips said. “So people had just gotten
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The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, March 12, 2015
UPC
DUI reports The following were arrested and charged with driving under the influence by the Auburn Police Division from March 3-10: March 3: - Matthew Ryan Hollingsworth, 29 200 block of W. Longleaf Drive, 12:24 a.m. March 6: - John Kelley Bumpers, 22 W. Magnolia Avenue, 12:52 a.m. March 7: - Austin N Evers, 20 US HWY 280, 1:06 a.m. March 10: - Samantha Berry, 21 S. College Street and Longleaf Drive, 3:18 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
GRAPHIC
DESIGNERS WANTED For more info contact: editor@plainsman.com
‘Daily Show’ correspondent speaks at Foy Tracy Awino
Campus Reporter
UPC hosted Aasif Mandvi, popular correspondent for “The Daily Show,” at Foy Auditorium on Monday, March 9. Miranda Marty, director of speakers and comedians committee and senior in political science, said UPC choose Mandvi because he is relevant and well-known. “One of those things where it’s someone who has a recognizable face and a somewhat recognizable name,” Marty said. The process of choosing a comedian to come to Auburn takes careful preparation, according to Marty. “Initially we start off with a list of about three or five people, speakers or comedians, who we’d like to bring to Auburn who we think would attract the biggest crowd for the money, and we make initial contact with their middle man who then checks the availability and their price range,” Marty said. Mandvi read a couple of stories from his book, “No Land’s Man,” during the show. “The book just talks about his career, and I think about his family’s journey and how they immigrated to the United States,” Marty said. During the show, Mandvi answered some questions from the audience. “The fact that we put on a show every day, the fact that there is a show ready to go at 6 p.m. every day of the week is unbelievable,” Mandvi said when asked about the most surprising thing he has encountered while working on “The Daily Show.” A member of the audience also asked Mandvi about his experience working on the movie “The Last Airbender,” and he said he enjoyed the experience of being on the set. “It was probably one of the coolest
emily enfinger / photo editor
Aasif Mandvi spoke at a UPC event Tuesday, March 9.
filming experience because when you are working with stunts and fireballs and stuff like that, it was pretty extraordinary,” Mandvi said. Mandvi said he has done both comedy and drama. “I don’t really consider myself a standup comedian or a comic in that sense,” Mandvi said. “I am an actor who has done a lot of comedy, and “The Daily Show” has put me more in a comedic sort of light, but I’m equally comfortable doing some dramatic work.” Mandvi finished off by informing the crowd he would be doing a book signing outside the auditorium. Chris Porter, junior in professional writing, said he thought the show was funny and hearing about the background of people he sees on TV made the experience more personable.
“I really liked the beginning,” Porter said. “The intro and getting to hear him rant about his comedic stage, it was nice.” Bethany Bittinger, assistant director of speakers and comedians and junior in aerospace engineering, said she liked the Q&A. “I actually really enjoyed the Q&A session because people asked him really interesting questions about his role in movies, but also his comedy, some roles and past shows that I didn’t know he had done,” Bittinger said. Genesis Barco, junior in English, said being able to hear how Mandvi grew up made her relate to him, especially as a minority. Barco said a story Mandvi shared about a cultural practice of his made her realize cultures are different and just because they may do something she wouldn’t, it’s not grounds for judgment.
SGA
Senate presents code of laws changes for next meeting Haley Lanigan Campus writer
The SGA met for the second time Monday, March 9. Because this was their second meeting, there were no old or new orders of business. There were, however, 22 future orders of business that will become new orders of business in the following meeting. The newly elected President Pro Tempore, Brandon Honeywell, junior in biomedical sciences, presented the first future order of business. “There are two code of law changes that have to be made in order for the new executive position that Ivy Sibley has been appointed for, the executive vice president of marketing and engagement,” Honeywell said. “There are two places where the language needs to be changed so that her position can be added. The first bill just has to do with attendance.” The second part of Honeywell’s bill stated the new position would receive
civil
» From A1 used to (The Plainsman’s editorials). I tried to be a little bit more responsible in what I said, but there was no question where I was coming from.” However, some in the University’s administration wanted to shut down the production of The Plainsman, according to Phillips. “The day before the board meeting where this was supposedly going to happen, there was an editorial in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that just gave them hell for even considering something like that,” Phillips said. “So they had to back off.” Phillips said the student population was generally conservative, but he did not get the impression that anyone was angry with what The Plainsman wrote. “Most of the student leadership were either liberal or thought it was stupid to not get this integration thing past us,” Phillips said. “So there was a lot of sympathy for what (The Plainsman) did, even among the student leaders who didn’t agree with us.” Phillips was in Selma for the events leading up to and following the Bloody Sunday march, but was in Auburn the day the civil rights march happened. Phillips said the safest place
a salary decided by the Salary Review Board and approved by the student senate. The following 20 future orders of business all involved the approval and appointment for future student government positions that will be filled next week. James Beauchaine, senator at-large, asked for the approval of Sam Moore as executive secretary for the Auburn University student senate and for Katie Xu as the College of Veterinary Medicine’s council president. Lucy Anne Link, senator at-large, asked for the approval of Matt Molock as the parliamentarian for the Auburn University student senate and for Mizna Kanafani as a senator for the College of Agriculture. Drew Van Deventer, senator from the College of Science and Mathematics asked for the approval of Cole Davis as the Auburn University student senate technical assistant.
to be was near the Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. “The people outside the police lines around that place could be nutcases,” Phillips said. “They were bad news. The so-called good people weren’t taking part in those days. They were just saying, ‘tisk, tisk,’ and doing nothing, which let it go on.” President Lyndon Johnson federalized the Alabama National Guard to protect the marchers on their third attempt to go to Montgomery after a federal court ruled Alabama was violating the marchers’ First Amendment rights. On March 24, 1965, Phillips was at the marchers’ campsite outside of Montgomery, where Harry Belafonte, Joan Baez, Sammy Davis Jr., Dick Gregory and Peter, Paul and Mary held a concert. Phillips wrote about Selma and the lines that divided the people of the South in his editorial, “We must not continue to hide from the truth,” in the March 31, 1965, issue of The Plainsman. “When the demonstrators leave (and they will) and emotion subsides, calm reason must prevail,” Phillips wrote. “We can no longer afford to slip back into the comfort of our myths and hide our eyes from the truth. We must all make a superhuman effort to understand.”
Jacqueline Keck, senator in the College of Liberal Arts asked for the approval of Hunter Gibson as a senator at-large. Lucas Tribble, senator in the Ginn College of Engineering, asked for the approval of Stephanie Sorrell as a senator for the College of Education, Justin West as a senator for the College of Education and Colton Pollard as a senator for the Ginn College of Engineering. Drake Pooley, senator from the Harbert College of Business, asked for the approval of Sarah Cape as a senator of the College of Education. Sarah Grace Mitchell from the Ginn College of Engineering asked for the approval of Emily Warmanas as a senator for the College of Veterinary Medicine. Phillip Searcery from the Ginn College of Engineering asked for the approval of John Walker as the senator for the College of Architecture, De-
sign and Construction. Hope Harrelson, senator form the School of Nursing, asked for the approval of Lacy Campbell as the senator for the College of Human Sciences. Benjamin Arnberg, graduate school senator, asked for the approval of Caleb Killough as the senator for the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. Trey Fields, senator from the College of Liberal Arts, asked for the approval of Luke Carlson as the president of the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences and for Cody Cumbie as the vice president of the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences School’s council. Daniel Hess, senator at-large, asked for the approval of Bradley Lawson as the College of Veterinary Medicine School’s council vice president and for Jonathan Corona as the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction School’s council president.
The following future orders of business require for the student senate’s consent for filling future SGA roles. India Way, senator from the Harbert College of Business, asked for consent for Olivia Tofani as the SGA chief of staff and for Michael Waldrum as the executive vice president of programs. Peyton Hanson, senator from COSAM aksed for consent for Jesse Westerhouse to serve as executive vice president of initiatives. Brock Herndon, senator from the College of Business asked for consent for Ivy Sibley as the executive vice president of marketing and engagement. Walker Byrd, SGA president, said the purpose of this meeting was mainly to prepare for the next meeting. In other SGA news: - Campus office application are due by Friday, March 13. - New SGA officers will have their office hours posted by March 13.
jordan hays / copy editor
On March 7, President Barack Obama spoke to a crowd of approximately 40,000 people about civil rights.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
The Auburn Plainsman
sustainability
speakers
A modern twist on the Civil War Caitlin Shostak
Contributing Writer
Emily Enfinger / photo editor
Parkerson Mill Creek
The University’s storm drain markers indicate excess water on campus ends up at Parkerson Mill Creek (above).
a work in progress Rebecca O liver Campus Writer
Parkerson Mill Creek, which runs through Auburn University’s campus, is listed on the Alabama Department of Environmental Management 303(d) List of Impaired Waters for pathogens. According to Eve Brantley, Alabama Cooperative Extension System specialist and associate professor in agronomy and soils, offices and departments across campus, including facilities, sustainability and athletics, are looking to address the causes of impairment to make the stream a healthier place. “Parkerson Mill Creek should be a place of pride and stewardship to everyone on campus,” Brantley said. Brantley said Parkerson Mill Creek is said to have Urban Stream Syndrome, a term used to describe the effects urbanization has on streams. Hard surfaces on urban landscapes, such as parking lots and roads, shed water quickly instead of giving water time to soak into the ground. This runoff water on Auburn’s campus drains into Parkerson Mill Creek, leading to erosion that has contributed to the creek’s impairment, according to Brantley. According to Brantley, there are practices being put in place to help reduce runoff, including rain gardens, green roofs and storm drains. “These projects act as speed bumps to slow down water runoff,” Brantley said. Brantley said some areas of the creek are in better condition than others. “This stream has a lot of different characters,” Brantley said. “In some places it needs a lot of work, and in others it’s really looking good.” Director of the Office of Sustainability Mike Kensler said the storm drains on campus that feed into Parkerson Mill Creek carry pathogens that can be harmful to fish and wildlife. “You have a high volume of water flowing at a high rate of speed carrying with it everything that has been on the ground, such as trash, fertilizers, pesticides, animal wastes and so on,” Kensler said. “It’s almost like a fire hose flushing into the creek.” According to Kensler, when limits on the amount of pathogens set by the Environmen-
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This stream has a lot of different characters. In some places it needs a lot of work, and in others it’s really looking good.” —Eve Brantley
Alabama Cooperative Extension System specialist and associate professor in agronomy and soils
tal Protection Agency have been exceeded, the stream is deemed impaired under Clean Water Act standards. Kensler said the short segment of Parkerson Mill Creek that has recently been restored in front of the Wellness Kitchen on South Donahue is an example of what the Office of Sustainability and other departments involved would like to see happen in all segments of the creek. “It’s a perfect example of what the creek could look like,” Kensler said. Kensler said one of the goals of the campus Landscape Master Plan is to make Parkerson Mill Creek a campus amenity for students. Campus Plan and Space Management planner Ben Burmester said the amenities restoration project changed the elevation of the flood plain to prevent erosion during heavy rains reduces erosion, but does not significantly reduce pathogen levels. “It doesn’t have a significant impact on pathogens, but it doesn’t hurt,” Burmester said. The most effective efforts in improving Parkerson Mill Creek, according to Kensler, are to track down where the pathogens are coming from, manage storm water more efficiently and educate people about what they can do to prevent pollution. Alex James, graduate student in crop soil and environmental science, said everyone needs to be respectful of Auburn’s natural resources. “It’s important to me to see these local streams get revamped,” James said. “It’s also important to me for everyone to be a good steward of our resources.”
upcoming events
Thursday, March 12 • “The Red Badge of Courage” begins in the Telfair Peet Theatre at 7 p.m. • UPC’s Brunch Cooking Workshop in Spidle 238 at 5:30 p.m.
Friday, March 13
• Cater Porch Talk with Eric Smith, director of health promotion and wellness services, at Cater Hall at 3 p.m.
Saturday, March 14
• Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Auburn University Hotel Conference Center at 6 p.m.
• SGA’s BIG Event begins at 8 a.m.
• Delta Zeta’s Pink on the Green at the intramural fields at 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 15 • No Impact Week ends
Tuesday, March 17
• UPC’s Red Barn Series featuring The Eastern Sea and the Auburn Sing Off Winner, Seth Baker, in the Red Barn at 7 p.m.
Are you a campus or non-profit organization? Send your events to calendar@ThePlainsman. com or submit them to The Plainsman’s online calendar at ThePlainsman.com/calendar to be featured online or in the paper.
After more than 150 years of analysis, the Civil War’s transition into the digital age may be long overdue. Edward Ayers, professor of history and president of the University of Richmond, seeks to change the way people study and access history by transferring the information normally found in hard copy textbooks into a digital format. Once information has been digitized, it can be accessed online by a wide audience, while graphs and maps can be represented in an interactive format. Ayers, a vocal proponent of efforts to digitize the humanities, said he believes the digitization process may make history more relevant, accessible and interesting. Ayers presented “The Shape of the Civil War” at the University on Tuesday, March 3, where he described the inability of current, static graphical representations to create an accurate depiction of the Civil War’s complexities. The digitization process, however, allows for a more complex and in-depth depiction of both the Civil War and history in general. “If you leave the paper, there are all kinds of possibilities in the digital world of manipulability and transparency and volume that you can’t have on paper,” Ayers said. Although Ayers said he believes humans have a natural hunger for history, he has found students are often bored with the subject despite its relevance to their lives. “How can everything that happened before today be boring?” Ayers said. “You actually have to try to kill it with multiple choice tests and memorization. I believe that if we would just let people see what history actually is, they would find it interesting.” Ayers has applied his passion for digitization and history to several digital projects, including the “Valley of the Shadow” project, which allowed Internet users to explore accounts of the Civil War from primary sources. “In scholarship, we have this strange thing where we’ve walled ourselves off from the same revolution that digital journalism went through,” Ayers said. “When it comes, it will be like a tidal wave that will really damage scholarship in general.”
To make the difficult transition period as painless as possible, Ayers has also helped found the Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities and the Virginia Center for Digital History and currently works with the Digital Scholarship Lab at the University of Richmond. He also serves as a co-host of the nationally syndicated radio program “BackStory with The American History Guys.” Charles Israel, associate dean for academic affairs and associate professor of history at Auburn, said Ayers is making history more accessible to people. “It is just one example of Dr. Ayers’ practice of making history accessible to the public and encouraging us, as Americans, to understand our role of being shaped by and continuing to shape American history,” said Israel. Students, however, aren’t the only ones who deserve more comprehensive access to history, according to Ayers, who has tried to give the general public more access as well. “I just think (history) is one of the most crucial points of understanding ourselves,” Ayers said. “I want people to be able to read the newspaper or online and think, ‘I’ve seen this pattern before,’ or ‘I know how we got here.’” Not only did the Civil War occur in the South, it also forced America to deal with one of the biggest problems in its history: slavery. Ayers said he also believed the Civil War demonstrates the democratic process shouldn’t be taken for granted, which is important to remember as America continues to struggle with aftermath of slavery. As the Civil War continues to undergo its digital transformation, a wider audience may be able to access the past and apply their knowledge to the present. “I thought his idea of pushing the boundaries of history and making history accessible to everyone was powerful,” said Benjamin Shiver, senior in history. In addition to work with digital history, Ayers has won the Bancroft Prize and the Albert J. Beveridge Award and has been nominated as a finalist for the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. He has also been awarded the National Humanities Medal, the National Professor of the Year award and Fellow of the American Academy for Arts and Sciences.
Opinion
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Thursday, March 12, 2015
ThePlainsman.com
Opinion
our view
Internet independence essential Topic:
SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE PLAINS
The Federal
communications commission voted to continue net
Responses to “Tiger Dining tries to alleviate crowded lines on campus”
Greg Breland “I’ve got a great plan to help you alleviate crowds. Stop forcing us to pay $300 per semester to eat on campus.”
neutrality
Viewpoint:
the
Sean Ford “I graduated in 2013, when I was there the campus was big about getting healthy and eating right. Yet they expanded chik-fil-a and papa john’s. So ya know, there’s that whole hypocrisy in the meal options on campus. Then I agree with Greg about forcing 300$ to eat on campus. Also on top of that how about this little idea, if you don’t have the time to stand in line for 15-20mins or so to get food. Then don’t friggin eat there, go by early, pack a small amount of food, or go somewhere else. Try slacking up on some of the privilege that was rampant among the student body when I attended.”
decision is beneficial for internet users everywhere The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to not regulate broadband Internet and decided not to control prices for different broadband Internet usage in late February. We should rejoice in the FCC’s decision. In simple terms, net neutrality is protecting the free flow of information on the internet. Without this decision, companies would lobby to charge more money to websites that have more broadband or companies they are not partnered with. To give a hypothetical example that would hit home with most students, we can look to Netflix. If the ruling let net neutrality fall to the wayside, companies could have charged Netflix more than the average website because of the higher broadband usage the site takes. Because Netflix is being charged more money, they would in turn charge their customers more. Estimates on how much those charges would be are hard to predict because each individual company would set its own price. Also, if you were using an Internet provider that had business ties with Hulu and not Netflix, the company could increase the speed in which Hulu responded, making it faster and easier to watch than Netflix, encouraging users to choose Hulu over Netflix. This would affect — arguably — more important websites than Netflix. It could affect every website from news websites, such as FOX and CNN, to Auburn.edu to YouTube.
Lindsey Drennan “It’s not the amount of people in the Chick-fil-A lines, its the crap service they have. I worked at a real Chick-fil-A for 3 years, and I would not consider these on campus locations up to par on the Chick-fil-A service. Partly because they do not have enough people working and they just do not have a very good system in place from what I have seen. The lines would move so much faster if they followed the chick-fil-a protocol right.”
kelsey gainer / graphic designer
It would also affect websites that don’t even exist yet, making it harder for websites that are good ideas to catch on with the public, stifling innovation. Taking away net neutrality would affect every Internet outlet a student uses and would cost students and professors more money to use. It’s personally hard to imagine why some people would be against the FCC’s decision, but from a corporation standpoint discontinuing net neutrality is a fair point. Businesses pay more for websites, such as Netflix and Hulu, as opposed to basic mostly text websites, such as Auburn.edu, because they take up more broadband and are more complex to run. However, the FCC’s priority should be individual people, not corporations. The FCC’s decision will likely be challanged by wireless, cable and broadband companies. AT&T and Verizon both have openly opposed the FCC’s decision. We think the FCC should stick to its current policy of reviewing companies to ensure regulation is not happening and to not change their decision on broadband prices.
question of the week:
Jonathan Wade “Just open the other side and lines won’t be a problem.” Tom Fleming “The chick fila express food is nothing compared to the real one on magnolia. Investigate that plainsman.”
Do you think net neutrality is a good thing?
Responses to “Student injured after falling from skateboard”
Yes, the Internet should be treated equally
J Wesley Caputo “live by the shred, die by the shred”
No, it’s not fair to businesses
Seth Sillmon “How is this news that pertains to everyone?”
I don’t care, I don’t use the Internet often
Beverly Mathiews Waters “Sorry to hear and hope he’s ok.”
Vote online at ThePlainsman.com We believe Auburn students need to keep track of this issue and to oppose challenges by corporations. The Internet was created to help increase the spread of ideas. That spread should not be stifled because companies want to make a few more dollars each year.
his view
New scoreboard might be unnecessary Sam Butler sports@theplainsman. com
If you’ve walked, driven or otherwise passed by anywhere near Jordan-Hare Stadium during the past week or so, you’ve noticed the new construction zone on Heisman Drive that’s been set up for the workers who will be putting up the new video board on the south end zone. The reported size of 190-feet-by-57-feet will make this scoreboard the largest in college football. This new board will be massive. It will be too loud with the also-new sound system that will be in place, and it’s going to cost a lot of money. When everything is said and done, all of the upcoming upgrades to Jordan-Hare will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $14 million. Recently AL.com was granted an open records request from the University and discovered that Auburn’s athletic department reported a $13.6 million deficit during the
Becky Hardy
2013-14 fiscal year which is certainly eyeopening. It merits a discussion of whether or not these upgrades are really worth it in the immediate future. Sure, it will be nice to have, and the crowds will definitely flock to see this new spectacle, but I don’t know if doubling the amount of the debt already incurred is a smart move. Granted, I’m no financial manager, and I can’t say how the athletic department’s revenue will look for the next year. For now, the University will pay the debt and the athletic department will reimburse it when the money shows up. But if the goal of Jay Jacobs and the athletic department is to improve the fan experience, it seems like there are other ways to go about it than digging into an already less-than-shallow pool of resources. For example, increasing the power of the Wi-Fi signal inside the stadium was a priority for this past season, but with the ever-expanding use of iPhones and the like, increasing the amount of connectivity even more wouldn’t hurt. That’s just one example. It’s clear the intention behind the new video board isn’t
The Editorial Board
harmful; it’s going up to make Auburn have the greatest game day experience in the SEC, if not the country. Already, you can simply Google “Auburn scoreboard” and dozens of articles will come up about this new project, so it’s not as if Auburn will be forgotten anytime soon. If the goal is to keep Auburn on the map, an attention-grabbing scoreboard is certainly one way to do it. When that attention comes at the expense of meaningful resources, however, then it might not a viable tradeoff. The Auburn Tigers, with all of their tradition and their storied history, aren’t going to fall off the college football map anytime soon. With this scoreboard, they definitely aren’t going anywhere. But the recent reports of the $13.6 million deficit warrant some consideration. Granted, the athletic department’s been fine for a long time. The deficit could be wiped out by next year. If it’s not, then maybe we’ll start to reconsider if this scoreboard was not a needed upgrade, but merely something that seemed like a good idea at the time. Sam Butler is a sports writer at The Plainsman. He can be reached at sports@ThePlainsman.com.
Jim Little
Maddie Yerant
community
Kris Sims
Managing Editor
Eric Wallace
multimedia
Emily Esleck
Sports
Online
Megan Barkdull
Corey Williams
Opinion
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Emily Enfinger Photo
campus
Responses to the picture “Nick Jonas will be joining Kesha and Nelly at the Auburn Airwaves concert April 18” @mcerlean “Ideal lineup for 16 year old girls.” @brookeyo10 “@mfaunce3 I’ll go if you get on stage & sing with nick” @little.ems8 “@maggielittle_ CAN THIS GET BETTER? @avery_nutter”
Managing Editor - Maddie Yerant
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editor - Corey williams reporter - Tracy Awino reporter - Kris Martins writer - rebecca oliver writer - Haley Lanigan
editor - Megan Barkdull
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The opinions of The Auburn Plainsman staff are restricted to these pages.
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These opinions do not necessarily reflect the Auburn University student body, faculty, administration or Board of Trustees.
@TheFirstSmoke “@TheAUPlainsman @BarackObama Who cares? Worst than Jimmy Carter. #Liberals #Democrats”
oPiNioN
The Auburn Plainsman welcomes letters from students, as well as faculty, administrators, alumni and those not affiliated with the University.
The opinions expressed in columns and letters represent the views and opinions of their individual authors.
Response to “President Obama speaks at the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Check back for photos and video.”
CAMPuS
Policy
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.
@AuburnCCR “@TheAUPlainsman: Alabama Supreme Court halts same-sex marriage licenses. Check back for updates.” Jesus Christ Alabama get it together”
Editor-in-Chief - Becky Hardy
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Letters must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. on Monday for publication.
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Community Thursday, March 12, 2015
A5 ThePlainsman.com
Community
Local
FCC ruling may allow Opelika to expand fiber network Pierce Ostwalt Community Writer
The FCC made rulings upholding net neutrality, open Internet and expansion rights for municipal Internet providers Feb. 26. These rulings may allow Opelika Power Services and its 425mile long fiber optic network to expand into Auburn and other parts of Lee County. The FCC made the ruling to classify the Internet as a public utility and to keep the Internet regulated, ensuring that broadband companies could not out-bid smaller companies to prioritize their connection speeds. “What we would like to do at some point is to expand,” said Gary Fuller, mayor of Opelika. “We have had a number of folks right on the (city) line and we can’t serve them.” Fuller said he hopes one day soon, the services provided by Opelika Power Services could also benefit Auburn and other local areas and cited two other U.S. cities in similar situations. “Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Wilson County, North Carolina, petitioned the FCC to remove state restrictions on their service territory,” Fuller said. “How that relates to Opelika is that we are restricted by state law that we can only serve the corporate limits of Opelika.”
Emily Enfinger / Photo Editor
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller supports the FCC’s ruling.
The reason for the petitions from Chattanooga and Wilson County was because like Opelika, city limits restricted the areas the cities could serve, as opposed to their local broadband providers, showing the citizens of Opelika could one day soon propose a petition of their own.
“I’ve been mayor for 10 years [since] last October,” Fuller said. “In my first three or four years, the most complaints I got about anything was Charter. Sorry customer service, outages all the time, pricing was going up and there was no competition.” Fuller’s comments fall in line with many of the points made by FCC chairman Tom Wheeler before the FCC’s Feb. 26 ruling. “Broadband access providers have the technical ability and the economic incentive to impose restrictions on Internet,” Wheeler said. Opelika had an advantage other cities in Alabama did not. It owns its own power company, Opelika Power Services, or OPS. Opelika was able to use OPS to build a municipal fiber optic network to compete with the main Internet service provider, Charter Communications, to provide all of their citizens with faster connection speeds than Charter could offer. Fuller said Opelika decided to build its own network after receiving complaints about Charter’s service and pricing. OPS has been offering more options for customers, including rolling out a business service in November 2014. “We could offer a residential home, telephone-
wise, two lines,” Fuller said. “We were limited. Now, if you need 50 phone lines, we can give you 50 phone lines. If you need 300, we can give you 300.” The success of OPS is also playing a role in attracting many new business and job opportunities to the area, according to Fuller. Baxter International, a health care company that manufactures products to treat kidney disease and many other medical conditions, is soon to expand their current Opelika location, according to Fuller. “What a compliment it is for Opelika, for our workforce and for this area, for Baxter to invest another $300 million in our community and hire 200 more folks,” Fuller said. Fuller said with more jobs planned to come to the city, the benefits of the 425-mile fiber optic network seem to being benefitting Opelika in more than just clear phone and Internet service. “We want to think about what this is going to mean for Opelika 10 or 20 years from now for our children and our grandchildren,” Fuller said. “It used to be the railroads, then the interstate highway system. Well, now we think this is the highway, the Internet highway. Education, healthcare, it all goes through it, connectivity is key.”
Magnolia Avenue to close to straighten Oak Jim Little
Community Editor
Kris Sims / multimedia editor
The Magnolia Avenue Oak has settled with a slight lean.
The Toomer’s Oaks are settling into their new home, but one may be settling too quickly. Magnolia Avenue between South College and Wright streets will be closed Saturday, March 14, from 8 a.m.-10, according to a press release issued by the City of Auburn. David Dorton, director of public affairs for the City of Auburn, said Auburn will handle closing the streets and provide workers with traffic control. “It was not unexpected that there would be
some settling, and there might have to be some repositioning,” Dorton said. Ben Burmester, campus planner with the office of University Architect, said work will begin Friday, March 13, to prepare the tree, and the actual adjustment will be done Saturday. “We just wanted to get in there and adjust the tree,” Burmester said. “It’s got a slight lean now.” Burmester said it’s common for trees to settle after they have been planted. “We’re probably being very picky for those two trees,” Burmester said. “It maybe wouldn’t have happened in other places, but considering
the prominence, and how much those trees mean to the Auburn campus and Family, we felt it necessary to do a quick correction on it this weekend.” Burmester said the tree should not have to be adjusted again after this weekend. A similar process will be used to straighten the tree as was used when the trees were planted Feb. 14. Workers will dig away dirt and attach straps to the tree and use a lull forklift to straighten the tree, according to Burmester “It’ll be a quick correction,” Burmester said.
Business
Parkway Farmer’s Market moves to bigger location in Opelika Rachael Taylor Community Writer
Students and residents of the Auburn-Opelika area will be getting a bigger farmer’s market soon. The Parkway Farmer’s Market, currently on Pepperell Parkway, has acquired land on the 2300 block of First Avenue in Opelika. According to Marty Ogren, assistant director of planning for Opelika, the new land is
13,000 square feet and rests on three and a half acres. The farmer’s market is currently housed in a gas station building and is 5,000 square feet. The Parkway Farmer’s Market is a family business and they haul their produce to the store from state markets, according to owner Mitch Nix. Nix said what sets the farmer’s market apart from grocery stores is they transport the
food from state markets to the store themselves, while grocery stores transport the produce from warehouses. Nix said the farmer’s market checks for quality of the food it puts out, while other grocery stores may not. The farmer’s market has always been a family business for Nix. His brother owns a farmer’s market in LaGrange, Georgia, and his father drives the trucks that deliver the food.
His great-grandfather even sold produce off of a wagon in the 1900s. While Nix studied at Georgia State University, he said he always knew he would work in the farmers market business. According to Nix, a new truck of produce comes in almost every day. They even travel all the way to Miami for fresh produce. The farmer’s market sells produce and some seasonal
items, such as pumpkins and Christmas trees. According to Nix, he employs 10-12 people. He said while the farmer’s market is open yearlong its peak season is April-August. Nix said the Parkway Farmer’s Market concentrates on quality and price. The reason for relocating the farmer’s market is that the business has outgrown the location it is currently in, Nix said.
Nix also said they have been looking for new land for approximately one and a half to two years. “We hope to start breaking ground next month,” Nix said. Nix said they plan on opening the new location early next year, and it will have approximately three times more parking than the current location. “I’m very excited about it,” said Rodney Gray, employee of the farmer’s market.
State
Photos from Selma, 50 years after violent Bloody Sunday March
Top: Jordan Hays / Copy Editor Bottom Left: Jim Little / Community Editor Bottom Center and right: Emily Enfinger / Photo Editor
TOP: President Barack Obama speaks in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. BOTTOM LEFT: Thousands gather in the streets. BOTTOM CENTER AND RIGHT: Rep.Terri Sewell and the Obamas applaud Rep. John Lewis.
Community A6
Thursday, March 12, 2015
The Auburn Plainsman
Business
Vinyl record store opens in Opelika Kendyl Hollingsworth Community Writer
Vinyl collectors can now peruse a new record store in downtown Opelika thanks to one Auburn woman. Allie Fox, owner of MusicTown Records, said she loves vinyl records. “I grew up listening to vinyl,” Fox said. “My dad, when I was 5 or 6, gave me money and took me to Charlemagne Records in Birmingham, and he told me I could buy whatever I wanted, so I bought ‘The Muppet Movie’ soundtrack, and I still have it.” Fox, a resident of Auburn for nine years, said she has been dreaming of owning a record store since she was 12 years old. At that time, Fox and a friend were “obsessed” with the 1995 movie “Empire Records,” which first interested them in the recordstore business. “It was [about] a day in a record store, so it was always this thing that I either wanted to work in a record store or own a record store, and then records went away and CDs went away,” Fox said. “Then vinyl made a comeback, and I was like, ‘All right, this is it. It’s time.’” Fox said she wants to focus as much on new vinyl as vintage vinyl in her store. She has also talked to a few local artists about selling their CDs at MusicTown Records as a way to help promote their music. Fox said those CDs will be the only ones sold in the store. The adjoining room, which Fox calls the “Listening Pit,” is where customers can go to hang out and listen to music playing in the store. Fox said she also hopes to use the room for live music performances. Before owning MusicTown Records, Fox was a photographer. She said she decided to pursue her dream of opening a record store when her passion for photography began to fade and felt more like work. She now does photography as a hobby and focuses on owning and running her record store. “The best part is that, honestly, I am my own boss, and I’m listening to cool music all day,” Fox said. “I have record labels that send me promo stuff that we play here in the store.” Fox said she also loves being located in downtown Opelika.
photos by Christy Stipe / Photographer
Allie Fox, owner of MusicTown Records, stands in the doorway of her store in downtown Opelika.
“The best thing about downtown Opelika is that we all promote each other because it’s all locally-owned businesses,” Fox said. “It’s all family-run. I know half the people that own the businesses down here. It’s one of those that it’s nice to have that kind of community, where everybody just kind of shares everything.” Fox said the worst part is working alone in the store all day, but she has her dog with her in the store to keep her company. Buffy, sometimes called Buffy the Cat Slayer, is Fox’s small, longhaired dachshund that wanders around the store. When Buffy is not greeting customers, she sleeps on a large plush pineapple. MusicTown Records has already seen plenty of younger customers, according to Fox, illustrating vinyl’s comeback among the newer generations. Tyler Martin, a MusicTown customer and freshman in music education, said he loves collecting vinyl and having a physical copy of the music. “I love vinyl records because with the right equipment, I like the sound quality a
1888 Ogletree Rd. Auburn 826-1207
MusicTown specializes in selling vinyl records.
lot more than CDs or MP3s,” Martin said. “The store itself has a friendly local feel to it, and it fits downtown Opelika well.” Fox said vinyl appeals more to the serious music lovers who are discovering the special sound that comes from records. “To me, vinyl is a romantic connection to your music,” Fox said. “It takes you to where you actually have to focus on what you’re listening to, and you’re actually a part of it.”
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Sports
A7
Thursday, March 12, 2015
scoreboard Baseball (13-4)
ThePlainsman.com
Sports
Football springs into new season Football
Defense begins Muschamp era Lauren Christopher and Andrew Monson sports writers
RECENT Loss vs. Samford, 7-0 Win vs. Xavier, 10-6 Win vs. Xavier, 3-2 UPCOMING March 13-15 at Texas A&M
No. 12 softball (25-2)
RECENT March 11 at Troy Win vs. No. 22 Arizona State, 7-4 Loss at Cal State Fulleron, 3-2 Win vs. No. 13 Arizona, 20-2 UPCOMING March 14-16 at Ole Miss
no. 7 Gymnastics (5-5)
With this year’s addition of defensive coordinator Will Muschamp to the coaching staff, changes, and hopefully improvements, are sure to follow on the defensive line. In coach Gus Malzahn’s pre-first spring practice press conference, he said the offense would mainly stay the same along with special teams, but adjustments will be made for Auburn’s defense, which hasn’t earned a top spot in the SEC since 2007. Linebacker Anthony Swain will graduate this spring and will not return for the Tigers in the fall. Fullback Gage Batten has also officially left the program, confirming rumors of his absence from the Outback Bowl against Wisconsin. With Kris Frost and Cassanova McKinzy at linebacker, Trey Matthews will start at safety alongside Jonathan Ford, who will also experiment at corner. Josh Holsey will also work at corner. Redshirt freshman Dontavious Russell will also work for a spot on defense after sitting out the 2014 season. “This is the time for (redshirt freshmen) to compete for a job,” Malzhan said. Senior cornerback Jonathan Jones is learning his third defense during his four years at Auburn. But that does not seem to bother Jones at all, who has a simple approach to learning new schemes. “The thing about football is there’s different terminology, but it’s basically the same thing,” Jones said. “You learn the different nuances of each defense, but that’s mostly off the field. You’ve got to get in your playbook off the field, and then come on the field and
assistant sports editor
UPCOMING March 13 vs. North Carolina March 21 - SEC Championship
Men’s basketball (12-19, 4-14)
execute.” Muschamp has been with the team since his hiring in December, but his first spring practice running the defense had a different feel than the bowl practices, according to Jones. “He was actually in charge today, so he was definitely intense,” Jones said. “He knows what he’s talking about, so he has high expectations of us. We’ve got to meet his expectations because he’s not going to lower them.” So far, Jones said he likes what Muschamp brings
to the practice field. “He’s intense,” Jones said. “He expects the best from you every day. Just energy. He wants you to bring your best energy, fly around, and that’s what you can expect from him every day.” As for his new position coach, former Auburn defensive back Travaris Robinson, Jones said he and Muschamp have similar expectations for the defense. “They’ve been together for a while, so they’re the same people,” Jones said. “They’re on the same page, both intense, and expect a lot from us.”
Three’s Company in backfield battle David McKinney
RECENT Loss vs. Alabama 197.200-197.050
zach bland / auburn athletics
Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp coaches drills during the first practice of the spring.
Sometimes too much of a good thing isn’t bad. For Auburn, that good thing is running backs, and in Coach Gus Malzahn’s run-powered offense, too many running backs is a good problem to have. As spring practice starts, Malzahn said three backs—Roc Thomas, Jovon Robinson and Peyton Barber—will be vying for the No. 1 spot, which is open after Cameron Artis-Payne and Corey Grant graduated. “Those guys will be rotating,” Malzahn said. “We’ll try to put those guys in equal situations
with the first line, with the second line, and we’ll rotate those guys.” Malzahn said he is confident any of the three talented running backs can carry the load his offense demands from its backs, which was SEC-leading in 2013 and 2014. “All three of those guys, we feel like, have a chance to really be good in our system,” Malzahn said. “We’re going to give them an opportunity to show what they can do.We’re going to go live, and those guys are going to get tackled, so we’re going to have a really good evaluation by the end of the spring on all three of the guys.”
emily enfinger / photo editor
Racean “Roc” Thomas (9) takes the field during the first day of spring practice.
soccer
In the spring of things
Exhibitions await Tigers in the offseason Andrew Monson Sports Writer
LAST WEEK Loss vs. Georgia, 64-61 Loss at Missouri, 63-61 UPCOMING March 11-15 SEC Tournament - Nashville
Women’s basketball (13-18, 3-13)
LAST WEEK Win vs. Florida, 71-49 Loss vs. Texas A&M, 57-47 UPCOMING Season Completed
kenny moss / Assistant photo editor
Casie Ramsier (right) leaps for a header while a defender contests for the ball. Ramsier said the Tigers are excited for their spring exhibitions.
Following a 12-win season where Auburn was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament’s second round by a free kick from midfield, the Tigers are anxious to return to the field this spring. “We’re very ready,” said junior forward Casie Ramsier. “We’ve been waiting since the end of November, so we’re ready to get back on the field and actually start playing.” Auburn soccer is returning to the field for five exhibition games this spring, including four against SEC competition. Auburn’s first game was Saturday, March 7, which was a 2-0 victory over Tennessee. Up next are games against LSU on March 14, Georgia on March 19, Clemson on April 18 and Ole Miss on April 25. Two of Auburn’s key pieces to its success this past season and moving forward are Casie and her twin sister, midfielder Brooke Ramsier. Predicted to finish 11th in the SEC last season, the Tigers exceeded expectations and finished tied for fifth. Brooke said they have been working hard in the offseason to continue to improve. “(We’ve done) a lot of running because they want us to be fit, that’s obviously a big part of it,” Brooke said. “Then just focus-
ing on the little details because the spring is really the time to improve rather than focus on games.” The spring games are merely exhibition, but the Tigers are using the opportunity to prepare for fall competition. “I think it will get us prepped and ready for the fall, so that way we’re testing our limits in the spring and not waiting until the fall to play harder teams,” Brooke said. “We’re getting in what we need to get in now and seeing how we need to improve and what we can work on.” Though the ending to their fall season stung, Brooke said she thinks the season was positive and will only help them build on their success. “(Going) from our freshman year where we didn’t even make the NCAA Tournament to making it sophomore year and getting to the second round was a lot of fun and a lot of good experience, especially because some of us were so young,” Brooke said.“So I think the way we ended kind of motivated us for this spring and will continue to motivate us next fall.” It is only March, but the goals for the fall are already clear to Casie. “Our goals for next fall are to break records,” Casie said. “We almost made it past the second round, which no Auburn team has done, and that’s our goal. Our ultimate goal, this year especially, is to look for an SEC title.”
Sports A8
Thursday, March 12, 2015
The Auburn Plainsman
Malzahn looking to Louis
football
David McKinney
Assistant sports editor
emily enfinger / photo editor
Quarterbacks Jeremy Johnson (6), Sean White (13),Tyler Queen (15) and Tucker Tuberville (16) warm up.
The race to replace Marshall David McKinney
assistant sports editor
From the outside looking in, it would seem Jeremy Johnson has the quarterback position all but locked up. While that is likely the case, coach Gus Malzahn said every quarterback on Auburn’s roster will have a fair shot at the job this spring. “Jeremy Johnson will be our first quarterback to take snaps,” Malzahn said. “Sean White, Tyler Queen and Jason Smith will all get reps. Coach Lashlee has a plan.” Malzahn said, among other things, experi-
ence may be what finally makes it official for Johnson. Smith, one of Johnson’s challengers for the job, was formerly the nation’s No.1 junior college prospect before signing with Auburn. Listed as an athlete, Smith has the ability to play multiple positions, but Malzahn said he will be given an equal opportunity to play quarterback. “We’re going to give him an opportunity to try and win that job,” Malzahn said. “That’s what we recruited him to do, and he seemed very excited about it.”
Any time a program loses an athlete like Sammie Coates, there’s cause for worry. However, that may not be the case on the Plains with the list of receivers coach Gus Malzahn has on his roster heading into spring practice. Most notably, seniors D’haquille “Duke” Williams and Ricardo Louis. Williams was suspended for the Outback Bowl last season, but Malzahn said that incident is behind him. “He’s in good standing just like everybody else,” Malzahn said. “We ask a lot of our seniors each year. He’s been with us for one year. He knows the expectations. We’re going to have him and the rest of our seniors really lead and guide this team like we expect.” As far as Louis, Malzahn said the playing time he has under his belt from the last two seasons will help him on and off the field. “He’s a guy that has a lot of experience,” Malzahn said. “All the seniors have experience, and we’ve really asked them to raise the level, and he’s one of those guys. He’s a made a lot of plays for us in the past, and we expect big things out of him.”
adam sparks / photographer
Ricardo Louis (5) runs during the first day of spring practice. Coach Gus Malzahn said he hopes Louis can replace Sammie Coates.
Men’s basketball
adam sparks / photographer
Coach Bruce Pearl yells instructions to his team during the Tigers’ 64-61 loss to Georgia on March 7.
Tigers expect bright future despite lackluster season David McKinney
assistant sports editor
Bruce Pearl’s first losing regular season was officially put in the books Saturday, March 7. In his first year on the Plains, Pearl’s Tigers finished 12-19 in the regular season, including a seven-game home losing streak to close out the year, despite the immense success the team saw in Auburn Arena early in the season. When Pearl arrived in Auburn, excitement for basketball on the Plains soared to heights it hadn’t seen in more than a decade. Even with the team’s upand-down year, the crowd was consistent all season, which is a turnaround in itself, and one that didn’t go unnoticed by Pearl and his team. “Our fans have been seeing this all year long, so there is nothing really new,” Pearl said following the team’s 64-61 loss to Georgia in the final regular season game. “They were hopeful for more, and yet I do think they appreciate the way we are competing. We are in the game. We had control of the game the whole way. It was a great atmosphere. Last year, in the last home game there might have been 2,000 people in here for Tennessee. Today there were 9,000.” The seven-game home loss streak is striking, mostly because there’s never been one of that magnitude here, but Pearl said this is only the beginning, and what matters is where you
finish, not where you began. “It just tells you where we start,” Pearl said. “It tells you this is where we are. I will point to two of our best road wins since 1999, and I will point to the fact that the kids are still competing. I look at that and say in a lot of those other years the league didn’t get six teams in the tournament.” Senior guard KT Harrell said the turnaround fans hope for may come quicker than most outside the program realize. “The support that we’ve had has been unbelievable this year, so I’ll always take that with me and value that for the rest of my life,” Harrell said. “Coach Pearl is doing a great job with turning this program around, and I really believe he’s going to turn it around a lot sooner than people think.” Reasons for optimism aren’t limited either. Though he was limited this year, Pearl said 7-foot-2 center Trayvon Reed might be a new player next season. “[Reed] is working really hard,” Pearl said. “My only thing was I want more. I do want more and he knows that.” Another player who saw limited action this year is freshman TJ Lang, who missed two key free throws in the Georgia game. Even so, Harrell said he thinks he has the chance to become a great asset for Pearl’s future teams. “It was tough for him,” Harrell said. “Even during the
“
Coach Pearl is doing a great job with turning this program around, and I really believe he’s going to turn it around a lot sooner than people think.”” —KT Harrell senior guard
game, you could just tell by his body language that he was hurt by missing the two free throws. TJ is going to be a great player. He’s got to keep his head up, and I’m going to talk to him about that. He can’t get frustrated about that; that will all come with time and him stepping up and making free throws.” Another reason for fans’ optimism is recruiting, which Pearl said the shaky season hasn’t affected. “So far there has been almost very little negative feedback in recruiting because of our season,” Pearl said. “Most of it has been positive because of the support we have received and how hard the kids are playing.” A lot of people say confidence is the key to success in any endeavor. With confidence like this, the righting of the Auburn basketball ship seems almost inevitable.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Sports A9
The Auburn Plainsman
kenny moss / assistant photo editor & Anthony hall / auburn athletics
LEFT: Kyler Deese reaches for a ball in a game against Jacksonville State on Feb. 27. MIDDLE: MJ Rott sticks a dismount. RIGHT: Elizabeth Benson clears a fence during the Tigers’ meet against Baylor on March 7.
This Week in Auburn Sports Baseball
In-state opponent Samford defeated Auburn 6-0 Tuesday, March 10 at Plainsman Park. It was all Samford (5-8) as the Tigers committed six errors, gave up three unearned runs and couldn’t get the bats going against Bulldog pitcher Parker Curry. Curry picked up the win after the junior gave up only five hits, allowed zero runs, no walks and recorded seven strikeouts through eight innings. “We looked at the pitch count,” said coach Sunny Golloway. “They had 41 pitches thrown through five complete innings. I know for a fact that is the least amount of pitches against a program I have ever had the fortune to be in charge of.” Auburn (13-4) got into trouble early. The Tigers’ starting pitcher, Kevin Davis, who picked up the loss after he gave up one hit, three earned runs, four strikeouts and four walks; couldn’t find the strike zone in the first inning. The sophomore walked the bases loaded and then walked in a Bulldog run to put Samford on the board early. Up by one, the Bulldogs hit a chopper that went under shortstop Cody Nulph’s glove to bring in another run and make it 2-0. Auburn couldn’t stop Samford for the remainder of the evening.
In the top of the third inning, Samford scored again off a ground ball hit by junior Alex Lee, bringing sophomore Heath Quinn to the plate for the Bulldogs’ third run. Auburn continued to break down in the fifth. The Tigers continued to make mistakes as Samford doubled their lead by scoring three runs on two hits and three Auburn errors to make it 6-0. Samford picked up its final run in the top of the ninth. Sophomore Hunter Swilling singled to right field to score sophomore T.J. Dixon. “To be honest with you, it’s not something that we are glad happened, but its something we are going to use,” Golloway said. “It’s going to make it a very teachable moment for us. We’ve been fortunate in some tight ball games. We’ve gotten off to a good start and right there we got hit right in the mouth. I think it’s a good time for us to get hit in the mouth because I think that we have young men of character, and they’re going to come out and be ready to hit right back.” The Tigers open up conference play against Texas A&M on Friday, March 13, in College Station, Texas, at 6 p.m.
Gymnastics
Auburn gymnastics jumped two spots to No. 7 nationally in the Regional Qualifying Score rankings with an RQS of 197.020, the highest in pro-
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Equestrian
The No. 7 Auburn Tigers faced the No. 3 Baylor Bears on Saturday, March 6, in the last home match of the season. The Tigers beat the Bears 13-7 and won all four events. The Tigers won the equitation over fences event 4-1, in spite of Most Outstanding Player honors going to Baylor. Senior Elizabeth Benson captured her 10th-straight point to stay perfect for the season. In addition to Benson’s fence success, she garnered MOP honors for her work in equitation on
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gram history. Auburn raised its RQS with a record performance against Alabama in Birmingham on Sunday, March 8, where the Tigers scored the highest away total ever and the highest total against Alabama for the program. Auburn’s previous away score at Florida was replaced with its higher score against Alabama, increasing the Tigers’ RQS despite the loss. This is the highest the Auburn program has been ranked this far into the season in the program’s history. The Tigers meet North Carolina for Senior Night on Friday, March 13, at 7 p.m., in Auburn Arena.
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the flat. The Tigers captured the flats event 3-2. After her events, Benson said she was pleased with the home-crowd support and can see the team starting to mesh together. “It was really good to be home and be in front of the crowd,” Benson said. “The girls are finally starting to come together and be able to be one team. Not just having hunt seat get a win and western have a loss, but have both of us in sync.” On the western side, Auburn took a win in the horsemanship event. Junior Griffin Knight took MOP honors with a posted score of 76. Auburn also won the reining, and junior Hailey Munger was named MOP with her 71.5 score. After the match, coach Greg Williams said this was the kind of performance he was looking for. “This was a big win, and this was a lot more the kind of style and the kind of attitude that we’ve been looking for,” Williams said. “I could see it. They’re riding for each other.” The Tigers’ next match up is scheduled for March 13 at New Mexico State in Las Cruces, New Mexico. After New Mexico State, the Tigers only have one more event before SEC Championships begins March 27. Compiled by Eric Wallace, Andrew Monson, Patrick Lucas and Derek Thompson
Print Deadline Noon three business days prior to publication
Intrigue Thursday, March 12, 2015
A10 ThePlainsman.com
Intrigue
campus
Zombie infestation pending University approval
Annual Humans vs. Zombies game awaiting consent of Risk Management and Safety Jordan Hays Copy Editor
Auburn University quarantined a zombie infestation in the 2013-14 academic year. Despite qualms with the University, Ralph Brown Draughon Library will host its sixth Humans vs. Zombies game Friday, March 13, at 7 p.m. The library works with Humans vs. Zombies administrators, such as Kevin Duke, senior in software engineering, to schedule these games. “(The library) is very eager to do this game because it’s fun for them, and it’s a good publicity event for the library,” Duke said. Jayson Hill, marketing and public relations specialist for RBD Library, took over the library’s Human vs. Zombies game in the fall 2014 semester. His office in RBD Library has several zombie-themed posters, and he keeps a double-barreled Nerf shotgun atop the cabinet behind his desk. Hosting Human vs. Zombie games, according to Hill, started as a way to make the library a more approachable place for students. This “outreach event” is similar to Tailgate at the Library, which is held the day before the first home football game. “We want to make the library an inviting place; a place you want to come to,” Hill said. “There is a very high correlation between going to the library, study or get your research done, and succeeding. We want students to come for that reason.” After the library invited student groups and organizations to host events in the library in 2012, the Humans vs. Zombies group responded with “great enthusiasm,” according to Hill. “(Humans vs. Zombies) is always looking for a place to have a game, and they seem to have a hard time getting places to play,” Hill said. “We said, ‘Let’s give it a shot. We’ll try it once and see how it works, and if it works out, we’ll go from there.’” The first game was limited to 200 students. Now, the library is allowing in 300 players after turning away 30-40 students once their game reached capacity last semester. “(The students) seem to love it, of course,” Hill said. “Who wouldn’t love a nice game of tag running around the library?” But this game of tag involves Nerf guns, an item that has raised many safety and risk concerns for the University. Last year, the University denied the Humans vs. Zombies group’s request
to play campus-wide for the first time. For their five-day, campus-wide event, lackadaisical walks to class became a fight for survival against the zombie horde. Humans, who wear bandanas around their arms, defend themselves against zombies, who wear bandanas around their heads, with Nerf guns. Humans vs. Zombies had approximately 400-500 students participate in their campuswide event. “(Humans v. Zombies) was honestly the most fun I’ve ever had doing any kind of event on campus,” Duke said. “How it changed how you went to class and just the entire atmosphere of the campus for the whole week was really exciting. I don’t think there’s been anything quite like it that’s been done on campus since.” However, Risk Management and Safety has concerns with how Humans vs. Zombies is played. According to Christopher O’Gwynn, University risk manager, these safety concerns are why the game was denied permission to play on campus last year. “We are not trying to take away the fun of being an Auburn student, but we do have to be concerned about safety and security on campus,” O’Gwynn said. Humans vs. Zombies players were reported to be running around in parking lots and transit areas. The fear, according to O’Gwynn, is students will be hit by a car or bus because they are not paying attention to their surroundings. This lack of awareness also extends to participants who have damaged foliage while playing, which the University must pay to repair. O’Gwynn also said he is concerned for students who are not a part of the game and are unaware of what is happening when they see participants playing. During one week of Humans vs. Zombies, O’Gwynn recalled an incident where the police were called because a person was lurking in the bushes near dorms during the early evening. “The last thing we want is to have the police on campus [because of the game],” O’Gwynn said. In addition to students being bumped into and a general lack of awareness, modified Nerf guns are another major reason why Humans vs. Zombies was denied last year, according to O’Gwynn. The University is concerned with Nerf guns modified to shoot faster and harder, which maylead to an injury, according to O’Gwynn. Additionally, participants have a history of painting
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY Kelsey Gainer / Grahic Designer
The library began hosting the Humans vs. Zombie game to make the library a more approachable place.
their Nerf guns to look like real weapons. O’Gwynn said he remembers a student dressed in camouflage with a painted Nerf gun walking across the front of his building the day after Humans vs. Zombies administrators agreed to ban such modifications. Although it may be difficult to ensure 400-500 students are following the rules established by the University and Humans vs. Zombies, O’Gwynn said this is not a good enough excuse. This year’s Human vs. Zombies game is pending approval. Risk Management and Safety is waiting for Humans vs. Zombies’ plan of how they will communicate with the campus, a map of the play area, their plans for rule breakers and advertising plans.
If the campus-wide game is given permission, Nerf guns will not be allowed, according to O’Gwynn. Students must use socks or marshmallows and are expected to clean promptly after play. Bus stops and major roadways will also be out of bounds per the University’s requirements. “I would just really like to see the game run in any form this year since it didn’t happen last year, and because the management and all of the University staff that just don’t believe that the game was ever run as promised,” Duke said. “In the meetings with them, they were kind of saying, ‘Fool me enough times and you just stop believing it after a while.’ I would really like to restore faith in the game through the University’s eyes so that they might give us more leniency in the future with that kind of thing.”
past
Contributed by jim mengel
Only seven issues of Praxis were published, but each covered a variety of diverse topics and controversial issues.
Opening the pages of Praxis and peering into the words of the past Codie Smith Intrigue Writer
“We are the people of Praxis, an independent publication by and for the community of Auburn University; our goal is to provide a medium for public expresion for the people of this community.” These words appear in the second issue of the nearly forgotten, 44-yearold Auburn student publication, Praxis, as an introduction to the alternative newspaper published in 1971. Only seven issues of the newspaper were published, but each covered a variety of topics and controversial issues. Praxis is no longer in print. While Praxis was an independently published paper not affiliated with Auburn University, it was written and published by a group of Auburn students. “We had a group of people who wanted to reflect a different view than you saw in more conventional papers,” said Jim Mengel, founder and
co-editor of Praxis. “I envisioned presenting a practical and critical view in a positive way.” Praxis was initially a local publication and was distributed only in the Auburn community. Eventually the newspaper was distributed across the state in Tuscaloosa and Huntsville, among other major cities. “While Praxis was originally intended for Auburn’s community, we felt that what we had to say was applicable elsewhere,” Mengel said. Praxis not only expressed views seen in conventional papers, but views that are considered progressive and controversial today, such as the promotion of women’s rights, gay rights and the legalization of marijuana. “They had articles about how to grow marijuana, how to get out of going to jail,” said Hailee Walls, freshman in agriculture communications who wrote an undergraduate research
paper on Praxis. “They had a plea in there for one of the students to get him out of jail because he was arrested for using drugs at a concert. There are just a lot of interesting things.” While the paper focused on many controversial topics, Mendel said Praxis was able to maintain a generally positive relationship with most people on campus. During their years of operation, the paper did face some opposition from University administration on multiple issues. “I think that most people were willing to discuss those issues and were somewhat supportive,” Mengel said. “There was at least an acknowledgement of the legitimacy of these issues. But in my mind, that kind of opposition is actually healthy. The controversy, actually, will likely result in a better outcome over the long run than if differences were not expressed.” Sparking a debate among opposing views was, after all, one the main ob-
“
I think that most people were willing to discuss those issues and were somewhat supportive. There was at least an acknowledgement of the legitimacy of these issues. But in my mind, that kind of opposition is actually healthy. The controversy, actually, will likely result in a better outcome over the long run than if differences were not expressed.” —Jim Mengel Founder and co-editor of Praxis
jectives of Praxis, as mentioned in the mission statement published in each edition. Nearly every paper contains a community letter section expressing a variety of views, as well as interviews from key figures on each side of contentious issues. “I think that’s important to not only have a place for students to grow in their writing skills, but also express
their feelings and thoughts and collaborate,” Walls said. “Maybe people will agree, maybe they won’t. Either way, you’re getting different sides of the story out there so people become more open minded. I wonder if there is enough diversity and liberalism on campus that we could bring something like this back, just a place to express opinions that aren’t mainstream.”
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Intrigue A11
The Auburn Plainsman
FOODIE CORNER
Microwave meals made Easy as 3...2...1... and Done Anne Dawson intrigue@
theplainsman. com
If you live in a dorm, you know how complicated it can be to cook, mainly because the only sort of kitchen appliance you have is a microwave. The following recipes are easy to make, and allow you to cook dinner and dessert using your microwave. The first recipe is for ravioli casserole. Start by crumbling ground beef into a microwavable bowl. I used a 2-quart Pyrex. If you choose to add on-
ions, mix those in now. Cover the bowl loosely with waxpaper and microwave it for six minutes. Make sure after six minutes the meat is no longer pink, then drain it if it’s not. Once the meat and onions are all cooked, toss in the ravioli. Cover the mix tightly this time and cook it in the microwave for approximately seven minutes, making sure to give it a stir after three minutes. After it’s fully cooked, scatter some cheese on top and let it melt. You’ll have a cheesy ravioli dish to feed four college students or six regular people. Now, for your sweet tooth, the second recipe is a lava bundt cake. To start off, make the cake
Ingredients for cheesy ravioli: • 1 pound lean ground beef • 1 small onion, chopped (optional) • 2 cans (15 ounces each) beef ravioli • 1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
exactly how the box tells you to in a microweavable dish. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out half of the frosting from the jar. As you scoop out the frosting, drop it into the center of the cake batter. Microwave the batter for 12 minutes, and let it cool for two minutes. Overturn a plate on top of the cake, and flip it over onto the plate. Once you’ve done this, top it off with some powdered sugar and enjoy your rich, chocolate lava bundt cake that took you less than 15 minutes to make. Anne Dawson is an intrigue writer for The Plainsman. She can be reached at intrigue@ theplainsman.com.
Anne Dawson / intrigue writer
Cheesy ravioli made ready to eat after nine minutes.
Ingredients for chocolate cake: • 1 box chocolate cake mix • 1 can frosting
FINANCE
Philanthropy course teaches all ages how to handle money Andria Moore Intrigue writer
The Halliday-Cary-Pick House was built in the 1940s and is now home to the national headquarters of the Cary Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies, the only of its kind in the country. The Halliday-Cary-Pick House is where the Women’s Philanthropy Board was founded in 2002, when June Henton, dean of the College of Human Sciences, noticed women were outliving men and becoming primary finance owners with no idea how to manage finances. “The WPB was created to educate, enable and empower individuals to achieve financial and philanthropic independence, to develop full leadership potential and to serve as mentors for future generations, and finance basic human sciences,” said Sidney James, executive director of the Cary Center and WPB. The Cary Center has programs for children of all ages, with activities ranging from summer camps for children from ages 6-12, and programs ADVERTISEMENT
for students and older community members. Melanie Smith, graduate assistant in adult education and member of WPB, said WPB strives to help women learn everything there is to know about finance, as well as how to wisely donate to philanthropic works. “We teach women everything from how to save, how to plan for retirement, what types of insurance to buy, how to get out of debt and avoid gaining debt and how to practice philanthropy whether you have $5 in your pocket or $5 million,” Smith said. The WPB has no budget, and all salaries and expenses come solely from the money they raise for philanthropic dollars. “We strive to educate the next generation of non-profit and philanthropic leaders,” Smith said. Most of the students working with WPB are human sciences majors and minors in philanthropy and non-profit studies, since Auburn only offers that as a minor. This is the first year the Cary Center is offering
a study abroad program that will send students to Peru, something James said she is excited about. “It will be a life-changing experience,” James said. “Students will study aspects of Peruvian society, with a special emphasis on social society. They will immerse themselves in the culture and learn about philanthropy in a foreign country.” Along with the Peru abroad program is another improvement in the Cary Center — the opening of a new Phils branch of WPB, which is targeted at men. Painter Sharpless, senior in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis on business and communication, has been involved with the Student Philanthropy Board since high school and said he is excited to be a part of Phils. “I would like for our generation to be aware of the effect philanthropy can have on a community on a large or small scale,” Sharpless said. “I would like for people to come to Auburn thinking about how they can further their education and also give back to the community.” Sharpless and Smith said they share a love of
Amelia johannes / staff photographer
The Halliday-Cary-Pick House was built in the 1940s.
working with others who love giving back. “My favorite thing about teaching people about philanthropy is you really get to see where their heart lies,” Smith said. “Even with kids all the way to donors, you can watch their philanthropic passions and interests play to what they’re doing.”
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Court-Approved Supplemental Information About The Deepwater Horizon Economic Settlement Claim Deadline
June 8, 2015 – Deadline to File
Claim(s) with the Deepwater Horizon (BP) Economic Settlement Program The Class Settlement and its objective, financial data based causation tests have been approved by final judgment.
The June 8, 2015 Deadline will NOT be extended
If you reside or have a business in the map above, you have the right to file a claim.
www.deepwaterhorizoneconomicsettlement.com
If you submit a claim form and all required information and meet the formulas as approved by the Courts, you qualify for an award. Not every claim filed will be eligible, but you have the right to file and find out.
To file your claim go to: Or Call (866) 992-6174
Intrigue A12
Thursday, March 12, 2015
The Auburn Plainsman
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