The Auburn Plainsman 03.20.14 issue

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Spring practice has sprung for defending SEC champs See A8

The Auburn Plainsman A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID Thursday, March 20, 2014 Vol. 120, Issue 37, 14 Pages

BRUCE ALMIGHTY

ONLINE

Auburn resurrects Pearl’s head coaching career in men’s basketball

Women’s NIT First Round Game Visit ThePlainsman.com Thursday, March 20, for updates from women’s basketball vs. Furman.

CAMPUS

SPORTS REPORTER

The Auburn family had a special birthday celebration awaiting its newest men’s basketball head coach Tuesday night. Auburn Athletic Director Jay Jacobs introduced Bruce Pearl as the program’s 20th men’s basketball coach Tuesday night in front of a raucous crowd of students and fans in the Auburn Arena. “We’ve raised the bar for men’s basketball, I’ll tell you that,” Jacobs said. “Like I’ve always said, we’re committed to winning championships here, and doggone it, we started that right here tonight.”

A4

International student makes friends and overcomes obstacles Edgar Diomande traveled from West Africa to the United States to better his English language and make life-long friends.

SPORTS

Eric Wallace

A9

Auburn and Pearl agreed to a six-year, $2.2 million dollar contract Tuesday, making Pearl one of the top 20 highest paid coaches in the nation. According to Jacobs, Pearl, who celebrated his 54th birthday Tuesday, is a perfect fit for an Auburn program that went just 48-75 in the past four seasons. “When I started visiting with Bruce, I found a man that had passion, who had a vision, who is a family man, a man that wants to win and do it the right way,” Jacobs said. “And to take Auburn basketball to a sustainable level that we haven’t had in

» See PEARL, A2 RAYE MAY / DESIGN EDITOR

New men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl steps off the plane as it lands in Auburn Tuesday, March 18.

Top 6 solidified All SGA executive positions have recently been filled

Ben Ruffin Baseball finding its groove After a slow start to the 2014 season, Auburn rebounds with a long winning streak and their first SEC series win

INTRIGUE

A13

Chloé creates natural remedies Auburn local Chloé Covin uses healthy living and allnatural treatments to help soothe cancer symptoms

INDEX Campus A1 Opinion A5 Community A6 Sports A8 Intrigue A12

CAMPUS WRITER

Two remaining SGA executive positions were filled Monday, March 17 during the weekly senate meeting. The vacant executive officers positions included the executive vice president of initiatives and the executive vice president of programs. Logan Powell made all of the appointments. Powell appointed Jackson Pruett, senior in political science, as the executive vice president of initiatives. Pruett served for two years on SGA senate prior to serving as a senator at large on last year’s senate. Pruett said the executive officers’ focus will be on getting students’ feedback in hopes of improving the University. “Hopefully, over this next year, we are going to launch a new program to gather student feedback directly,” Pruett said. “It’s going to involve going to where students are, whether it be organizations, fraternities or sororities. It’s all about finding out what is going to make Auburn a better place.” While the executive officers as well as senate members try and reach out to students, it’s

Pruett’s job to try and make the elected officers platforms come to fruition. “For me, from my appointed position, my job is going to be helping these elected executive officers, the president, vice president and treasurer execute their platforms,” Pruett said. “Those were the platforms proposed to the student body and those are the ones the student body voted for. We will consider it a successful year if the students’ voices are heard.” Colson Smith, senior in biomedical sciences, was appointed as the executive vice president of programming. Smith, who served on last year’s cabinet, said his focus will be on improving homecoming for everyone in the Auburn family and downsizing the Big Event to some extent. “Homecoming should be an awesome thing in Auburn,” said Smith. “With the Auburn family and the way alumni like to come back, Homecoming should be a big deal to not us, but everyone in the Auburn family.” Smith also plans to downscale Auburn’s Big Event not in the number of volunteers but

» See SGA A2

CONTRIBUTED BY THE AUBURN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

of Auburn’s eye Apple CEO reflects time spent on The Plains Kelsey Davis EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Tim Cook enters a dimly lit private room in The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. The room is part of the hotel’s restaurant, outfitted with two long dining tables with placemats set at each spot. He pauses in the doorway and says, “Let’s go get some coffee.” His transitions lenses change from clear spectacles to a pair of shades as he strolls down College Street the Saturday before spring break. The Apple CEO and 1982 Auburn graduate is on an abbreviated visit to receive the Life-

time Achievement Award from the Alumni Association. He’s already made use of his time, commenting on how still campus was the night before and how impressed he is with the new Recreation and Wellness Center. Once he arrives at the Wake Up Coffee Company, Cook settles into a leather chair. Sitting cross-legged in faded blue jeans, Cook appears at ease in the town of his alma mater. “I get flooded with memories when I come back [to Auburn],” Cook said. “It always gets overwhelming.” He sips on a black hand-brewed coffee from

» See APPLE A2


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