The Auburn Plainsman 04.23.15 by The Auburn Plainsman

The Auburn Plainsman A Spirit That Is Not Afraid

Thursday, April 23, 2015 Vol. 121, Issue 37, 12 Pages

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

Left wondering

sexual harassment and assault

Sexual harassment process leaves some waiting Becky Hardy Editor-in-Chief

Protesting is a freedom guaranteed to Americans under the First Amendment. Mondra Wright, graduate student, protested Dec. 5, 2014, on the Haley Concourse to get a process in motion. That process was dealing with her alleged sexual harassment case with the Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Office (AA/EEO) against a professor. Wright said she felt unsafe around a professor when she was in his office during her time as an undergraduate in 2008. Wright didn’t report the incident when it happened. “I had so much stuff going on that I never said anything,” Wright said. Wright, now a graduate student, said she felt a similar uneasiness around the same professor. After talking with other professors in her department, administrators directed Wright to AA/EEO. The AA/EEO handles all Title IX cases, such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking and retaliation. Duties of the two AA/EEO employees include investigating if complaints have enough evidence to back up the claims. Wright spoke with AA/EEO Director Kelley Taylor on Oct. 10, 2014. Taylor did not contact the professor involved in Wright’s case until two months later on Dec. 5, 2014, the same day Wright protested about how long the process of dealing with her alleged sexual harassment was taking. Since Taylor and Michelle Martin, affirmative action specialist in the same office, are the only employees working in the office at the moment, Taylor said they have to prioritize the cases reported to them. “If we get a sexual harassment complaint the same day we get a sexual assault case, and the harassment case did not involve any touching, we would try to work on them simultaneously, but work more quickly on the accommodations for the sexual assault case,” Taylor said. Wright said she feels her case was mishandled because it took so long for her to receive any informa-

“

I don’t want students to feel like they are little people in a big system, in a system that is just going to go with the administration and not listen to the needs of the students.” —Mondra Wright

graduate student who filed sexual harassment complaint

tion about what was going to happen to the professor involved. “I don’t want students to feel like they are little people in a big system, in a system that is just going to go with the administration and not listen to the needs of the students,” Wright said. The professor named in Wright’s complaint said Taylor performed a full investigation and found no supporting evidence backing her claims. “I am completely, completely innocent,” the professor said. Approximately 50-60 students file a complaint about sexual harassment on campus each year, according to Taylor. Approximately 85-90 percent of those complaints are between students. According to Taylor, in 2014, sexual assaults of one male and 16 female students and sexual harassments of two males and 21 females were reported to AA/EEO. “More women students are coming forward every year,” Taylor said. “I don’t think that suggests that we have more problems than we did the year before. I think we have more awareness than the year before.” According to Taylor, in 2014, there were three student sexual harassment complaints against faculty, but no sexual assault complaints. If a student reports sexual harassment against a professor, Taylor said the office will meet with the person who filed the report, the professor and any witnesses who may have seen anything pertaining to the incident. “We investigate by meeting with anyone that can give us relevant information, even if they didn’t wit-

ness it,” Taylor said. “Sometimes you can get information like, ‘Well, I saw this person right after it happened, and they were crying and screaming and ran to the bathroom.’ That’s still relevant information because this isn’t court. This is a University process.” For cases against professors, Taylor said she and Martin make recommendations to the leadership of the faculty or staff person about disciplinary action based on cases that have been dealt with in the past. Once an investigation between students is conducted in AA/EEO and evidence is found against the accused, the evidence will be directed to the Student Discipline Committee in the Office of Student Conduct, where a committee made up of students, faculty and staff, approved by University President Jay Gogue, make a decision based on evidence given to them by Taylor. Haven Hart, director of Student Conduct, said members of the committee go through hours-long training sessions with Taylor about Title IX offenses and are not allowed to sit in on a hearing about a Title IX offense if they haven’t received the proper training.

Punishment Process

The victim, according to Hart, determines sanctions given to the accused, although with sexual assault or harassment cases, Hart said Student Conduct will give recommendations for sanctions based on a rubric created by Student Conduct and precedents from past cases. The person who filed the complaint, who can also be the victim, may suggest sanctions before going to a hearing, such as expulsion from the University. If both parties in the situation don’t agree with the proposed sanctions, both will proceed to a Student Discipline hearing. The University acts independently from the criminal system, which means if a student is convicted of sexual assault or harassment by law, Student Discipline can still make its own decision based on the evidence provided by AA/EEO and can decide whether the accused should be punished. The student is allowed to have someone at the hearing to give guidance, such as an attorney, but the attorney is not allowed to speak during the hearing because

photo illustration by emily enfinger / photo editor

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DUI reports

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The following were arrested and charged with driving under the influence by the Auburn Police Division from April 16-18: April 16: -Andrew Paul Lasseter, 21 South College Street, 2:35 a.m.

the Student Discipline process is not a court of law, according to Hart.

Accommodations for Victims

April 17: -Marc Andrew Townsend, 35 East Glenn Avenue, 1:16 a.m. April 18: -Anthony Christian Hughes, 20 Shug Jordan Parkway, 11:06 p.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

photos of the week

After an investigation is started by AA/EEO, Taylor said accommodations are made for the individual who filed the complaint. Accommodations for students can include a no-contact order, making temporary housing, course and/or work schedule changes. The primary accommodations Taylor said the office provides are housing and academic related. “How we accommodate is creative,” Taylor said. “A lot of times, a lot of students don’t have (the accused) in class, but we write the teachers and say what is going on.” Even if there is not enough evidence to prove a professor or student was committing a Title IX violation, Taylor said accommodations would still be made for the person who

Thursday, April 23, 2015

How we accommodate is creative. A lot of times, a lot of students don’t have (the accused) in class, but we write the teachers and say what is going on.” —Kelley Taylor

director of Affirmative action and equal employment opportunity office

filed a complaint. If there is not enough supporting evidence to prove a professor was involved in the sexual harassment or assault case, Taylor said the Title IX office will still suggest the professor go to educational counseling to learn how to handle these types of situations in the future, but this is not mandatory. The professor involved in Wright’s case said he followed all of Taylor’s instructions, but did not participate in educational counseling because he said he has taught at two universities for 25 years and didn’t think he did anything wrong. The professor said this is the first time a student has filed a

sexual harassment complaint against him. Taylor would not comment on Wright’s case because of confidentiality rights granted by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, but said two more staff members would be added to the office, and an email-notification policy may be put in place and become a consistent policy. Don Large, executive vice president for the University, said he is working with Taylor to add staff to AA/EEO. “(Taylor) requested two additional staff, and that has been approved,” Large said. “This is a prudent and appropriate request given the evolving federal legislation and expectations.”

The federal legislation, found in “A Dear Colleague Letter,” passed by Congress in April 2011, states if a school does not take a firm stance on handling Title IX offenses, including sexual harassment and assault cases, the institution could risk losing federal funding. Taylor said she is expecting to hire two new investigators for the office at the beginning of May. Wright said she hopes the Title IX process will be more effective and timely in the future with more employees working in the office. “I just want students who have been sexually harassed in any way, like my situation with this particular professor, or any professor, to speak out,” Wright said. Although Wright has sent emails to Taylor at AA/EEO, she said she has not been informed about the status of her case or if any punishment has been given to the professor involved. The professor involved in the case is still teaching at the University.

photos by kenny moss / assistant photo editor

ABOVE: People welcome home the gymnastics team after the team placed sixth in the Super Six. BELOW: MJ Rott hugs Aubie after the team arrives at Auburn.

kelsey gainer / graphic designer

Statistics of number of sexual assaults and harassments brought to the Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Office. All information given by AA/EEO.

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Professor wins faculty achievement award Haley Lanigan Campus Writer

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Bruce Tatarchuk, professor in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, has recently been honored with the SEC’s Auburn University Faculty Achievement Award for 2015. Tatarchuk will receive a $5,000 honorarium. In its third year, this award is relatively new, and the nominees from each SEC school will go on to compete for the Professor of the Year Award. Tatarchuk is the professor at Auburn’s Microfibrous Materials Manufacturing Center. He majored in chemical engineering at the University of Wisconsin and said it was lucky he found what he wanted to do so easily because he had not previously met any chemical engineers. Tatarchuk has a total of 12 United States patents and multiple worldwide patents resulting from his research. He said he loves all of his research projects equally and anticipates the ones in the future. “My favorite one is the next one,” Tatarchuk said. “It’s all about the quest.” Mario Richard Eden, department chair of the department of chemical engineering, said Tatarchuk’s achievements go beyond what he’s done with his research patents. “One thing that I think is just as impressive as everything else that he’s done is his translational work that he’s done to get his inventions into the mar-

“

Tatarchuk

I just hope he keeps doing what he’s doing.” —John Weete

executive director of the Auburn Research and technology foundation

ketplace and stuff like that, but he’s also served as the adviser for almost 80 graduate students and that is really impressive to me,” Eden said. Tatarchuk said he was grateful to receive the award. “I was very appreciative for the folks who nominated me,” Tatarchuk said. John Weete, executive director of the Auburn Research and Technology Foundation, said he hoped to see more ideas from Tatarchuk in the future. “I just hope he keeps doing what he’s doing, and I think what he’s doing is very important and that he continues to develop new innovative ideas and technologies that can be commercialized for the benefit of the students,” Weete said.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Campus A3

The Auburn Plainsman

board of trustees

Increase in tuition approved for fall Corey Williams Campus Editor

The Auburn University Board of Trustees approved a 2.5 percent tuition increase that will begin in fall 2015. Tuition for fall 2014 and spring 2015 was $5,100 per semester for in-state students and $13,692 per semester for out-of-state students. The increase will raise in-state tuition to $5,212 and out-of-state-tuition to $14,020. Auburn University Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Donald Large presented the proposal to the board. “Two and a half percent is the amount that we calculated that we think will produce right at $7 million,” Large said. “That would allow us to cover our mandatory cost increases.”

“

Auburn needs to be competitive with other institutions. While we don’t support it, we do understand it.”

The increase could have been higher, according to Large. “This is the minimalist approach,” Large said. “Could we have moved it up to 3 percent or 3.5 percent? Yes, we could. But we’re trying to be sensitive to the students and their concerns as well.” Mike Clardy, director of University communications, said he believes the increase is

—Walker Byrd

SGA PRESIDENT

necessary. “Nobody ever likes to have to raise tuition,” Clardy said. “But, with the cost increases, that’s the only way we can control revenue.” Walker Byrd, SGA president, said he does not support the increase. However, he understands the need for it. “Auburn needs to be competitive with other

institutions,” Byrd said. “While we don’t support it, we do understand it.” The board also approved a 3 percent tuition increase for Auburn University at Montgomery. In other Board of Trustees news: • The board approved repairs and renovations for Cater Hall and the President’s Mansion. • The board approved project architects for the women’s volleyball team space, the Broun Hall renovation, the new Academic Classroom Laboratory Complex and the School of Nursing facility. • The board approved construction management companies for the Broun Hall renovation, the new academic complex and the School of Nursing facility.

University launches $1 billion campaign donations

Corey Williams Campus Editor

Auburn University announced its $1 billion “Because This Is Auburn” campaign Saturday, April 18. Auburn has raised more than $775 million in support of the campaign, 77.5 percent of its goal, according to an article on the University’s website. This is the University’s largest goal in its campaign history. The University’s last campaign, “It Begins at Auburn,” raised $608.8 million which was $108.8 million more than its goal. Mike Clardy, director of University communications, said the campaign has four goals. “It will increase thousands of new scholarships for students,” Clardy said. “It’s going to endow more than 100 new chairs and professorships, it will develop programs that will allow the Auburn Family to connect with people everywhere and it will build some new facilities and reimagine existing facilities.” Two hundred fifty two million dollars will go to student support, $80.8 million will go to faculty support, $488.1 million will go to program support and $178.2 million will go to fa-

cility support. Jason Peevy, assistant vice president of development communications and marketing, said many ideas were considered when the development team decided on the $1 billion goal. “If you look at what the needs are across the institution and what the capacity is for people who support the institution, it was determined that $1 billion is what the University needed at this time,” Peevy said. This is an ambitious but attainable campaign goal, according to Peevy. “We work very hard every day to achieve our goal,” Peevy said. “This is one of the biggest campaign goals in the state of Alabama. We believe very strongly we can hit that mark.” The campaign is expected to end in 2017. The University also announced it received a donation of $57 million, the largest in the school’s history, from 1957 Auburn graduates John and Rosemary Brown. The donation will fund a new performing arts center and a student achievement center in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. For more information about the “Because this is Auburn” campaign, visit Because.Auburn.edu.

Contributed by Jason Peevy

John and Rosemary Brown announce their $57 million donation at the campaign’s kickoff gala Friday, April 17.

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600 Webster Rd. Auburn 821-9996

2300 Gateway Drive 1599 S. College Street 1791 Shug Jordan Parkway Opelika 749-2309 Auburn 826-1716 Auburn 887-7460 1650 Opelika Rd. Auburn 821-7835

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Campus A4

upc

Fans flock to Block Party

The Toomer’s Oaks were dedicated before Nick Jonas, Nelly and Kesha took the stage for Auburn Airwaves on April 18.

Emily Enfinger / photo editor

TOP LEFT: Gus Malzahn pays tribute to the new Toomer’s Oaks at the dedication ceremony. TOP RIGHT: Nick Jonas opens for Nelly and Kesha at Auburn Airwaves. BOTTOM LEFT: Kesha continues performing at Auburn Airwaves despite a microphone malfunction. BOTTOM RIGHT: Nelly wears an Auburn T-shirt during his set at Auburn Airwaves.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

The Auburn Plainsman

Student government

New sexual assault resolution approved Ben Ruffin

Campus Writer

SGA’s Monday, April 20, meeting saw the unanimous passing of a resolution introduced during last week’s senate meeting and recognition of a faculty member. Tr e y F i e l d s , s e n a t o r for the College of Liberal Arts, discussed a resolution that will bring the “It’s On Us” campaign to Auburn’s campus which began in September of 2014 with The White House and The Center for American Progress. Fields said the resolution will join Auburn’s name with 200 other universities across the United States, six of which are in the SEC, in an effort to educate and stop sexual assault. The campaign urges students to take a pledge by signing a petition to prevent sexual assault on their school’s campus, according to Fields. The pledge is a “promise not to be a bystander to the problem, but to be a part of the solution,” according to the campaign’s website. Fields said he had been contacted throughout last week by people who were excited about the campaign. “I know there are a lot of people who are passionate about this and to see it come to fruition at Auburn and get the conversation started here,” Fields said. SGA members will lead the movement, according to Fields.

“I think we, as the student senate, have a great opportunity to be some of the people who are going to blaze this trail,” Fields said. Fields said an email was sent to him following last week’s senate meeting containing an article about a girl who was sexually assaulted on a beach during spring break. Fields said the article caused him to question whether people are completely educated on how to recognize when sexual assault is occurring. “It happened in front of roughly a hundred bystanders on a beach in the Alabama, Florida area, and so I think that was a very pertinent article to go with this just because at that point, it kind of raises the question of are we not educating people on how to recognize something like this,” Fields said. In other SGA news: • Eagle Eye TV has asked SGA for the approval of a reserve fund request in the amount of $16,995, which will be allocated to purchase a Newtek tricaster. The tricaster serves as somewhat of a control panel for the station, according to Brock Hendon, senator for the Harbert College of Business. • A recognition of Joseph Kicklighter’s career as a professor of history and his contribution to the Auburn University student body will come across the floor next week.

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Opinion

Thursday, April 23, 2015

ThePlainsman.com

Opinion

our view

Tackling the too-high tuition

SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE PLAINS

Topic:

Tuition will be raised 2.5 percent in the fall of 2015

Responses to “Transferring from UA to AU” Amy Beckerie Andrews “Having earned my undergrad at Auburn and my law degree at Bama, I can completely relate to these students! It’s like night and day comparing the campuses. One is home and the other they call Bama.”

Viewpoint:

auburn should stop increasing tuition regularly, encourage more donations

Auburn University agreed on a 2.5 percent tuition increase April 17, with the increase starting in the fall of 2015. Auburn also announced the kick-start of its billion-dollar campaign on April 18, “Because This is Auburn,” with a $57 million donation, the largest donation in school history. At its launch, the campaign had raised $775 million. This donation amount could have affected the tuition increase. Naturally, donations are not given to the University as a whole. Some donations are appropriated to certain colleges and facilities at Auburn. However, these donations could have freed up resources previously dedicated to those sections, allowing the University to move some of its budget to areas it was lacking in and may have enabled the University to not raise tuition. In no way are we saying donors should stop giving to the University. Any and all donations are welcome and needed. Tuition rate increases, however, are slowly becoming unaffordable. The last time the University went two years without a tuition increase was in 1990. Granted, some increases like this year’s 2.5 percent increase are minimal, especially compared to other schools. The University of Georgia increased its tuition by 9 percent in April. Yet the gradual increase is slowly strangling students’ already slim pockets and increasing student loan debt. Students should not have to worry that

Scott Miller “in my opinion, Auburn is more difficult. There is no in between grades. It’s either A or B 4.0 or 3.0. I began at Alabama then decided to finish up at Auburn so I have experienced both grading scales.” Susan Richardson Caton “War Eagle guys!” Paul Jenkins “good ROLL TIDE”

Response to “OPINION: Pressures of tradition in the Bible Belt” kelsey gainer / graphic designer

they will spend half their adult lives and incomes paying off student loans. While it is understandable that with changes in technology and inflation rates tuition would increase, there is a limit to the amount students can afford. In 2014, The Education Trust ranked Auburn University in the bottom 5 percent of universities and colleges nationally in their ability to provide access to lower-income students. Auburn University states on it’s diversity webpage that diversity is a core value of the institution, but continual tuition increases and a poor ability to provide for low-income students diminishes that value. This year, Auburn University has also received more funding from the state than last year. In Auburn’s executive summary, the University received $245,452,175 in state appropriations in 2014-15, compared to $242,758,767 in 2013-14. The combination of more state funding, a larger donation pool and a capped student body should have meant tuition rates could have at least remained the same. At the very least, the University should use this increased budget to re-evaluate their spending so students and faculty can

question of the week: Do you think tuition should have been raised? Yes, technology is getting more expensive so it needs to be raised No, I can’t afford tuition as it is I don’t even go here

Vote online at ThePlainsman.com benefit the most from these donations and so the University can try and figure out a way to stabilize tuition rates. Auburn University is a wonderful place for students to continue their education. Rising tuition rates could deter potential students from experiencing Auburn and all that it has to offer. Auburn, save the student body’s savings, stabilize the budget and stop continual tuition increases.

his view

Letter to the Editor: Auburn Family must protect each other The date was June 20, 2001. Andrea Pia Kennedy-Yates, in the span of an (unsupervised) hour, drowned all five of her children in the family bathtub in Houston. Her motivation? She claimed that she had failed as a mother and that the only way to save her children from the Devil was through the ultimate sacrifice — giving up (murdering) her innocent children, saving them, but accepting her eternal damnation. (Keep in mind, the eldest child was 7 years old.) The court proceedings lasted for five years and garnered national attention. Growing up in Houston, I personally remember this case more than any from watching the news throughout those years. The defense in the trial fought for — and won — the trial on the basis that Andrea was clinically insane. There is no doubt about this, as countless medical evaluations proved it over and over again. Throughout the course of the defense’s argument, it came to light that the Yates family were religious students of a man named Michael Peter Woroniecki. Woroniecki teaches an interpretation of

Christianity that can easily be compared to that of the Westboro Baptist Church — full of vitriol and ridiculous twisting of the Bible. Now, where did the Yates family become familiar with this man’s teachings? Auburn University, where Russell “Rusty” Yates (a student at the time, and later husband of Andrea) met Woroniecki as he traveled around the country as an evangelist. The defense in the trial focused heavily on this connection, as after Rusty left Auburn, he became even more engrossed with Woroniecki’s teachings, and, upon meeting his wife some years later, brought her into the fold. Woroniecki’s teachings, combined with Andrea’s mental illness, served as the perfect combination to lead to the tragic events on that summer day in 2001. Fast forward to this past November. On Nov. 3, 2014, two earnest-looking street preachers occupied the concourse in between the Student Center and Parker, preaching their interpretation of the Bible to anyone who passed by, often to disgust and anger by students and faculty alike. The Auburn community is familiar with

these kinds of demonstrations, but this was a unique one — these street preachers were Woroniecki’s son and daughter. Dangerous teachings such as the Woronieckis’ — which have proven to end in terrible disaster — have no place on our campus. Unfortunately, as a public institution, we have certain requirements to allow public forum, and as outlined in the University’s policies, this area is only confined to the steps of the RBD Library (i.e. the aforementioned demonstration between the Student Center and Parker should have been shut down immediately). While we can’t ban groups such as the Woronieckis’ outright, we can sustain dialogue with our fellow colleagues when such incidents do arise. Had someone challenged Woroniecki’s beliefs when he was at Auburn, or Rusty’s once he started falling into the fold, those five children could very well still be alive. We as an Auburn Family need to protect each other. We have to. Drake Pooley is a senior in marketing at Auburn University.

Editor-in-Chief

Jim Little

Maddie Yerant

community

Kris Sims

Managing Editor

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multimedia

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Sports

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Opinion

Intrigue

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Submissions

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.

Madi Parks “I think the point is that Auburn should make sure students feel safe on campus. I had to walk by those street preachers twice that day, and each time I felt scared. They got up in my face and chased after me. The university has an obligation to provide a comfortable, safe learning environment for students. The preachers should have been removed because they did not follow the rules. Questioning the writers belief in the constitution is highly unnecessary.” Alan Clemons “True Auburn family members will stick up for the First Amendment’s freedom of speech AND religion, even if the words we hear on the beloved campus are hurtful or ‘dangerous’ as the letter’s author asserts, while also watching out for each other. Declaring that someone’s idiotic hateful speech has ‘no place on ... campus’ is not befitting of someone who truly believes in the Constitution or the spirit of an institution of higher learning where diverse speech may be heard or read.” Drake Pooley “Sorry if it was misunderstood--I fully believe in the First Amendment and it’s importance to our nation’s development. However, I think when we can directly link someone’s words to a 5-person murder, we should start questioning where we draw the line. War Eagle!” Taylor Jones “And as was stated, they are only allowed to preach their hate in a certain area. Nobody is trying to strip them of their First Amendment rights, but we can do what is legal to combat these maniacs.” Lee Woodsmall “I’m not so sure the First Amendment applies here anyway... “CONGRESS shall make no law...” Suzanne E. Chapman “If either of these “preachers” get in the personal space of my daughter as she walks to class, then this Auburn gal gonna have a few words with the administration. God is love, and our kids shouldn’t feel intimidated.”

his view

Letter to the Editor: UPC concert a disappointment I was disappointed in the April 18 concert, not because of the music, but how it was organized. UPC took the money it has budgeted, money that is supposed to be for Auburn students, and put on a concert that was open to the public. Did UPC charge admission for non-students? No. The public was able to go to a concert put together by students’ tuition, which seems like misuse of funding. Not to mention one of the performers, Nelly, was arrested a week ago for drug pos-

session. Auburn needed to grow a backbone on this and show some integrity by not allowing him to perform. Auburn and UPC shouldn’t condone drugs and should have taken a stand against this. UPC continues to disappoint with how they handle events and your money, and it is time they own up to it. Preston Pound is a senior in microbial, cellular and molecular biology at Auburn University.

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Ashtyne Cole

campus

Responses to “Letter to the Editor: We as an Auburn Family need to protect each other”

The Auburn Plainsman

The Editorial Board Becky Hardy

Virginia Turk Harper “Thank you! Areed. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to settle down young, but it seems like there’s almost a stigma against students - particularly females - being solely education/career focused.”

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.

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Community Thursday, April 23, 2015

A6 ThePlainsman.com

Community

‘Complete shock’

downtown

Emily enfinger / photo editor

Kesha performs for the crowd gathered at Toomer’s Corner during Auburn Airwaves on April 18.

Residents speak out against the performers at Auburn Airwaves Jim Little

Community Editor

Thousands turned out for Auburn Airwaves on Saturday, April 18, but not all left happy. Auburn residents voiced their displeasure with the musical acts at Auburn Airwaves during the Auburn City Council meeting Tuesday, April 21. Lori Fuller, Auburn resident and mother of two teenage children, was the first person to address the council during the citizen’s communications part of the meeting. “I believe that the city owes our community an apology, a public apology,” Fuller said. The reason the city leaders owed the public an apology was a lack of due diligence on the city’s part, according to Fuller. Auburn Airwaves was organized by the UPC, and featured performances by Kesha, Nelly and Nick Jonas. The event was held immediately following the Toomer’s Trees dedication on A-Day. “Our city issued a permit to the UPC, which did make the decision to bring those artist here,” Fuller said. Kesha and Nelly were announced as performers Feb. 25. Jonas was added later on March 11. Fliers advertising Auburn Airwaves were sent home with students at Auburn City Schools, according to Fuller and others who spoke at the meeting. “Shock – complete shock to many [parents],”

Fuller said. “There was no warning. This was not a G or PG-rated family event. If you sent (a flier) to kindergarten or fifth grade, that naturally assumes the city had done their due diligence.” The Council approved the temporary entertainment districts Jan. 20, before the acts were announced. Amanda Hurite, UPC president at the time of the announcement and senior in industrial engineering, told The Plainsman on Feb. 25 she was happy with the student response. “It will be right after A-Day, so there will be a lot of families that come down,” Hurite said in February. “And it’s on a Saturday night this year, so the students are going to be ready to go and excited about it. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone show up.” Sagar Leva, UPC director of major entertainment in February and senior in finance, told The Plainsman the performers for Auburn Airwaves were chosen carefully. “We sent out a student survey,” Leva said in February. “We got the feedback and students wanted a pop/hip-hop/dance concert. Who’s more pop than Kesha?” Residents said profanity and lewd lyrics had no place in the heart of Auburn. “Many were surprised by Nick Jonas’ performance,” Fuller said. “He doesn’t traditionally have that kind of reputation, but unfortunately, he disappointed a lot of us.”

Jonas performed a cover of “Roses” by OutKast, uncensored, according to Councilwoman Beth Witten, who took her daughters, ages 9 and 6, to hear Jonas and planned to leave before the other acts. “I was shocked,” Witten said. Council members pledged something like this would not happen again. “I think it was totally inappropriate for downtown Auburn,” said Councilman Tommy Dawson, Ward 8. “I was disappointed in it. I don’t know how it happened, but I can promise you this, in the future, I’ll personally take a more a role in reviewing these things we approve.” Mayor Bill Ham said he had only heard of Jonas before the event and was unfamiliar with the other acts. “In the almost 29 years I’ve been involved [with the University], to my knowledge, we’ve never had an issue with an associated event with Auburn University,” Ham said. Ham also said the Auburn would continue to work with the University for joint events and learn from this case. “I had somebody call me today and say, ‘I demand that the City of Auburn never partner in any kind of relationship with Auburn University again,” Ham said. “I said, ‘That’s the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard of.’” Herbert Denmark, Auburn resident, was the only one who spoke to defend the performances.

Denmark said acts and speakers the community has found offensive have come to Auburn before, including Elvis, The Rolling Stones and Billy Graham. “Even recently, the week before, there was the Alpha Psi Rodeo,” Denmark said. “The Confederate flag was waved, front page picture in The Auburn Plainsman, and people like me would be offended by that. Did that stop Alpha Psi from having their rodeo? No.” Other residents who spoke after Denmark said the events he mentioned were open to the general public the way Auburn Airwaves was. Bobby Woodard, associate provost and vice president issued a statement Wednesday, April 22. “We will share this feedback with UPC, so that as they bring future performers to campus, they will have a variety of perspectives,” Woodard said in the statement. “Hearing the concerns and opinions of others help us to ensure that future acts will appeal to more of our Auburn Family.” Woodard also said giving students the opportunity to make decisions and take responsibility for those decisions are part of their growth and development. “We won’t make this mistake again,” said Councilman Ron Anders, Ward 2. “I can assure you, the nine people sitting up here will remember this very well.” Corey Williams contributed to this report.

Heritage

Site of The Bottle to receive historical marker

Kendyl Hollingsworth Community Writer

The site of an iconic Auburn structure, The Bottle, will receive a historic marker dedication from the Auburn Heritage Association (AHA) to celebrate its status as a piece of Auburn history. The event will take place at The Bottle’s original location at the corner of North College Street and U.S. Highway 280 on Saturday, April 25, at 2:30 p.m. The Bottle was originally built in 1924 by John Williams of the Nehi Bottling Company in Opelika, according to AHA’s spring 2015 newsletter. The bright orange Nehi bottle was made out of wood and stood 64 feet tall and 49 feet in diameter. Also known as the Twist Inn, The Bottle was as functional as it was eye-catching. The ground floor was a grocery store and a service station, while the second and third floors were living quarters. An interior spiral staircase

Left: Contributed by wikimedia commons RIGHT: Jim Little / community editor

LEFT: The Bottle as it appeared in 1924 before it burned down in 1936. RIGHT: The same location as it appears today.

led up to a balcony where parties were held. President Franklin D. Roosevelt once visited The Bottle on a trip to Auburn. Although it burned down in

the fall of 1936, The Bottle has stayed on Alabama Highway maps, according to Mary Norman, president of AHA. Norman said the AHA Board has considered dedicating a

marker to The Bottle for some time, but did not vote on it until October 2014. “Many of the local people in town have known about The Bottle for years,” Norman

said. “It was such a distinctively large wooden structure when built and was out of its element as a very memorable place.” Norman said her family has lived here since 1835, and she

loves the history of Auburn. “My grandparents and my great-grandparents lived here when The Bottle was built,” Norman said. “I heard stories from my grandmother about The Bottle. It’s an Auburn icon.” Family members of Williams will be at the dedication, as well as Auburn Mayor Bill Ham, who will accept the marker for the city. There will be an 8-foot replica of the picture of The Bottle, and AHA will give out commemorative Nehi bottles to the first 50 people to attend. “We hope to have a good turnout at the event,” Norman said. “It has been amazing to me, the interest in this project we have had.” The next historic marker the AHA plans to dedicate will be to the Farmville Community Club/Botsford School, which is the oldest freestanding school in Lee County. A day of dedication for the event has not been set.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Community A7

The Auburn Plainsman

Redevelopment

Historic Pebble Hill under renovation

FAB FINDS at

ANGEL’S Coca-Cola Button Sign

Kendyl Hollingsworth Community Writer

Auburn’s historic Scott-Yarbrough House, also known as Pebble Hill, is undergoing renovations to better serve the community. It is considered the headquarters for Auburn University’s Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities (CAH), as well as the Auburn Heritage Association (AHA). Renovations began in March and are expected to last until November 2015, when Pebble Hill will see a grand re-opening. Pebble Hill, located at 101 Debardeleben St., was built in 1847 by Col. Nathaniel Scott on 100 acres of land he and wife Mary Scott purchased. The Scotts are credited with helping to build the town of Auburn, which was founded by Col. Scott’s half-brother, according to CAH’s website. After the Scotts, Pebble Hill was purchased by Mary Virginia Riley in 1876 for farming. Pebble Hill then came under the ownership of Cecil S. Yarbrough, former mayor and employee of Alabama Polytechnic Institute, and his wife in 1912, and remained in the Yarbrough family until it was sold to AHA in 1974. AHA had Pebble Hill placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and it was restored and donated to Auburn University in 1981. Although it serves mainly as the headquarters for CAH, AHA still meets there monthly and they consider it their headquarters as well. Renovations to Pebble Hill will include Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restrooms in the back, as well as easier access for visitors who are unable to use the steps, according to Mark Wilson, director of CAH. He said the original floor plan and room layout will not change. “The interior of the house itself will not change, and it will maintain its 19th-century charm and many original features,” Wilson said. “Some of the most important renovation work done to the house, as with many renovation projects on historic buildings, relates to the foundation, which will protect the floors and the overall structure of the house.” Maiben Beard, outreach associate for CAH, said the foundation work will mainly include replacing rotten boards and refinishing the floors. Beard also said two of the rooms in Pebble Hill will be period furnished and decorated, which “will allow visitors to learn about the history of Auburn.” There will also be a companion building built next to the main house that will have an assembly room that will seat approximately 100 people. Mary Norman, president of AHA, said she is glad Pebble Hill is not facing any major changes and will retain much of its antebellum beauty. “Adding the offices next door with the venue area will now allow Pebble Hill to be used for what it was originally intended when we purchased it — that is, to have a place where the community can meet and enjoy a beautiful antebellum home here in Auburn,” Norman said. Wilson said the new building and parking lot on the site will also allow CAH to host book talks, lectures, musical events and more. “Pebble Hill is a wonderful landmark for Auburn, and everyone is excited to see the house taken care of so well,” Wilson said. “Our mission is to bring people together for programs that explore the past, present and future, and the new building will allow us to accommodate more guests than before.”

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Top & bottom: contributed by the University middle: Jim Little / Community Editor

TOP: A design of what Pebble Hill will look like once the construction is complete. MIDDLE: Construction is under way at Pebble Hill. BOTTOM: A photo showing Pebble Hill in the 1920’s.

2015

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Sports

Thursday, April 23, 2015

scoreboard Baseball (26-16, 7-11)

ThePlainsman.com

Sports

Football

‘I’m ready’

BELOW: Jeremy Johnson prepares to throw a pass during A-Day warmups. The junior quarterback was named the starter Monday, April 20. (photo by Kenny Moss / assistant photo editor)

Johnson officially No. 1 QB RECENT Win vs. Florida A&M, 3-2 Win vs. Ole Miss, 14-0 Loss vs. Ole Miss, 7-2 Win vs. Ole Miss, 3-1 UPCOMING April 23-25 vs. Georgia

No. 8 softball (41-8, 13-5)

RECENT Win vs. No. 7 Alabama, 13-12 Loss vs. No. 7 Alabama, 13-3 Loss vs. No. 7 Alabama, 6-0 UPCOMING April 24-26 vs. Arkansas

no. 8 Gymnastics (6-5)

RECENT NCAA Championships Super Six 6th - 195.625 UPCOMING End of season

Sam Butler Sports Writer

Following an impressive spring practice season, rising junior Jeremy Johnson was named Auburn’s starting quarterback for the 2015 season Monday, April 20, by coach Gus Malzahn, confirming what had been suspected for a few months. “We’re going to go as far as the team takes us,” Johnson said. “It’s a blessing to be the starting quarterback, not only to me, but to my whole entire city back home. A lot of people in this program have confidence in me, and so do my teammates.” Johnson, a five-star recruit from Montgomery’s Carver High, was named Alabama’s Mr. Football in 2013. Johnson sat behind Nick Marshall for two years, learning the intricacies of Gus Malzahn’s offense and earning plenty of practice time, while also absorbing plenty of lessons from Marshall himself. “The way he handled adversity,” Johnson said. “When things were going bad, (Marshall) was always the calm one. Being a quarterback, you’ve got to be that way. His emotion never changed, whether we were down or up. That’s the biggest thing I took from him, just being a leader by example.” Johnson started in two games over his two years at Auburn, once against Western Carolina in 2013 and once in the 2014 season opener against Arkansas, when Marshall was suspended for the first half. In his Auburn career to date, Johnson has thrown for 858 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions, most of which came in mopup duty. During the A-Day game, Johnson took every snap with the firstteam offense, registering 14 completions on 22 attempts for 252

yards and a pair of touchdowns before sitting out the second half. Johnson beat out sophomore Sean White for the starting job, but in reality, the competition was only a formality. Johnson was expected to succeed Marshall as the starter the second Auburn’s season ended against Wisconsin in January. At only two days removed from A-Day, this is the earliest an Auburn quarterback has been named as starter since 2007, when returning starter Brandon Cox was entering his senior year. Even Cam Newton, one of the most-decorated quarterbacks in Auburn history, was named starter 11 days after the spring game. As the starting quarterback at one of the most storied programs in the nation, Johnson said he knows he is in a special position. “There’s so many people in the world that wish they had the opportunity that I have,” Johnson said. “I’m cherishing every moment that I get.” It’s a pressure Johnson said he’s prepared for. “I’m ready,” Johnson said. “It’s been like that even when I wasn’t the starting quarterback. Like I said, you’ve got to handle yourself in a different fashion than everyone else on the street.” Newton, who has been on campus this spring wrapping up his requirements for graduation, has even given Johnson some muchneeded advice. “I asked him, ‘What’s your ‘Why?’” Johnson said. “‘Why do you get up every day?’ He told me, ‘My ‘why’ is, so that I can be the best player to ever play this sport.’ After he told me that, I didn’t want to hear anything else. That was the most encouraging thing anybody has ever told me.”

volleyball

By the numbers 2 - Games started 11 - Appearances 2 - Wins as starter 858 - Passing yards 40 - Rushing yards

73.2 - Completion % 9 - Passing touchdowns 1 - Rushing touchdown 2 - Interceptions 0 - Fumbles

Serving it up

equestrian (9-8, 1-5)

Tigers return to the court for offseason exhibitions Derek Thompson Sports Reporter

LAST WEEK Win vs. Tennessee-Martin, 13-3 Win vs. No. 4 Texas A&M, 9-6 Win vs. No. 1 Georgia, 10-6 UPCOMING End of season

Men’s Tennis (14-12, 2-10)

LAST WEEK Win vs. Arkansas, 4-2 Loss vs. Vanderbilt, 4-2 UPCOMING NCAA First/Second Rounds May 8-10

kenny moss / assistant photo editor

Courtney Campbell prepares to hit a shot during a match in the 2014 season.

Auburn volleyball has tipped off its competition segment of its spring in preparation for the upcoming 2015 season. “Right now, its about getting people on the other side of the net and getting the competitive juices flowing, but at the same time, working on the things we do everyday in practice,” said coach Rick Nold. “It’s a little bit different mentality.” Returning a young team with 12 letter winners and two seniors from last season, Nold said they are focusing on keeping a competitive mentality in spring practices and matches. “I think that’s something we’ve come a long way in,” Nold said. “We’ve changed a lot from the way we approached things in the fall. We still have a ways to go. To understand what spring is about definitely helps.” The Tigers finished 13-18 (8-13 SEC) in 2014 and 10th in the league standings. Much of Auburn’s success on the court came when freshman setter Alexa Filley played her best. Last year, Filley broke the Auburn single-season 25-point rallying scoring record for assists with 1,175 total assists while averaging 10.22 assists per set. The setter from Louisville, Kentucky, may have set career marks in her first season on the Plains, but Nold said she can step her game up in a number of areas in 2015.

“I think a lot of it comes with experience,” Nold said. “I feel good about the things she did during the fall, but we’ve talked about what more can she bring. She can do a lot of new things for us, and we can find some way to take advantage of that.” Filley said the main areas she has been working on this spring is her serve and communicating effectively with her teammates. “I think we are feeling pretty comfortable,” said junior libero Taylor Schill. “We are all practicing new things, so sometimes it can get a little awkward. You’re doing things that you are not used to doing.” Schill also said the spring has served as an opportunity to build team chemistry. “We’re making improvements, but I think we are coming together as a team and playing better overall,” Schill said. “We still have a long ways to go, but, this season, I think we are a different team.” The Tigers have traveled to Atlanta and Birmingham to compete in road matches this month and will wrap up the spring slate Saturday, April 25, at Western Kentucky. “We’re basically fixing a few areas where we need to make improvements,” Nold said. “Really focused on those little skills. I think we’ve made a lot of progress. Each week, we are looking for something new and better results here and there. I feel like we are moving in the right direction.”

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Sports A9

The Auburn Plainsman

Football

emily enfinger / photo editor

Cassanova McKinzy (8) and Will Muschamp (right) run onto the field during A-Day.

The Perfect Afternoon Treat!

Muschamp’s starter search David McKinney

Assistant sports Editor

“You’re looking at him.” That was Will Muschamp’s answer when he was asked who Auburn’s third safety would be. “I don’t know right now,” Muschamp said. “We need to make some progress.” Jokes aside, Muschamp said he has seen some good things out of his defense this spring and is encouraged about the direction the group is headed. “I’m pretty pleased with where we are at this point,” Muschamp said. “We still have a long way to go, but, as far as the attitude, the buy-in and the guys working extremely hard. We’ve got a core group of guys that work really hard, and that’s huge in order to have a really good football team. In a good unit defensively, work ethic’s got to be a part of it.” Just as it is on the other side of the ball, Muschamp said there are several positions on defense still up for grabs.

“In the front seven, we have some great competition,” Muschamp said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun in the fall as far as guys that are competing for playing time, competing to start, and understanding being a part of that rotation. We have a lot of competition up front.” One of those positions being competed for is linebacker, which Muschamp said is where Auburn holds a lot of talent. “Right now, there’s not a starter at linebacker for us,” Muschamp said. “All three of those guys [Cassanova McKinzy, Kris Frost and Tre’ Williams] showed the capability to start at linebacker here at Auburn.” Those three aren’t the only ones vying for position though. “I would throw in there Justin Garrett, who had a tremendous six days then had an unfortunate situation with his ankle,” Muschamp said. “We got four guys here on campus that I feel very comfortable with, and we need to get better after that.”

emily enfinger / photo editor

Roc Thomas (9) makes a cut during a run in the A-Day game.

‘Roc’-solid A-day performance Lauren Christopher Sports Writer

In the race for running back, Saturday, April 19th’s A-Day scrimmage highlighted the likes of Roc Thomas, who carried for 62 yards and made the game’s first touchdown run under quarterback Jeremy Johnson. “I think I did pretty well,” Thomas said. “I think I made a lot of progress. I feel more comfortable in the offense.” In his high school career, the 5-foot-10-inch sophomore rushed for 2,211 yards with 32 touchdowns and averaged 9.8 yards per carry in his senior year. Falling behind Thomas were both Jovon Robinson, who had 19 total yards switching between the starting team and secondary, and Peyton Bar-

ber with 37 net yards gained for Team Tigers. Thomas said in postgame the biggest strength he can see so far in the offense is the connection they have with each other and the efficiency of communication. Thomas added the team’s weakness involves working on getting its edge back. Compared to Robinson, Thomas said he has a disadvantage in weight, which allows Robinson, standing at 240 pounds, to plow more defenders. This fall, coach Gus Malzahn said he expects to see running back progression show on the field. “All three of our running backs are very good with the ball,” Malzahn said. “Roc made some spin moves, came out of things. That was real nice.”

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Sports A10

Thursday, April 23, 2015

The Auburn Plainsman

Adam sparks / photographer and auburn athletics

LEFT: Jenna Abbott runs home to celebrate with the team after hitting her first home run of the season against Alabama. RIGHT: Brittany Webster (right) celebrates after Bri Guy (left) completes a routine.

This Week in Auburn Sports Softball

Auburn softball stared down a home sweep to Alabama three times on Saturday night, April 18. Twice the Tigers faced a five-run deficit. In extra innings, they trailed by two runs and were once again pitted against pitcher Alexis Osario, who had muffled their bats the previous night and in a 13-3 loss earlier in the day. But a two-run single by second baseman Emily Carosone erased the final deficit before left fielder Tiffany Howard scored the winning run on an errant throw in a wild 13-12 victory. “We talked about it yesterday, that we have to have some defining moments,” said coach Clint Myers. “Alabama is a great team. They don’t go to the College World Series as often as they do being a fly-by-night team.” The victory salvaged what could have been a disastrous series and allowed the Tigers to remain on their perch at the top of the SEC standings. “We could’ve easily rolled over and given it to them,” Carosone said. “We did not want to get swept. Three games, that wouldn’t have been acceptable for them to win against us.” The Crimson Tide jumped on Auburn starter Rachael Walters for five runs in the first inning. The Tigers chipped two runs back in the bottom of the first before tying the game with the help of a two-run Carosone double in the fourth.

Alabama answered in the top of the sixth, gaining a 10-5 lead after right fielder Jadyn Spencer’s three-run bomb to center field. Auburn’s next answer would come from an unlikely source. After center fielder Morgan Estell plated one run, first baseman Jenna Abbott crushed her first home run of the season, a three-run bomb off Alabama’s Sydney Littlejohn. “Every hitter has their at bat,” Carosone said. “Any one of us can do that. Anyone at any time is ready to do that.” Auburn would tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, but fell behind once again in the eighth after first baseman Leona Lafaela smacked a tworun home run off of Lexi Davis. The bottom of Auburn’s lineup held on, however, as catcher Carlee Wallace doubled off Osario before Howard drew a walk to load the bases. As she has done throughout this season, Carosone came through with the bases loaded, singling down the left field line and tying the game. “Emily is a clutch player,” Myers said. “She’s done it all year long, and we’re hoping that she can continue to do it.” Third baseman Kasey Cooper then hit what was seemingly a double-play ball, only for the second baseman’s throw to first to go sailing wide, allowing Howard to score the winning run.

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Gymnastics

The eighth-ranked Auburn gymnastics team finished sixth at the Super Six, the national championship of gymnastics. No. 2 Florida finished first at 197.850, No. 3 Utah finished second at 197.800, No. 1 Oklahoma finished third at 197.525, No. 5 Alabama finished fourth at 197.275 and No. 11 Stanford finished fifth at 197.250. Auburn’s 195.625 was the highest program team total at the Super Six. The Super Six loss marks the end of a historic season for the Auburn program, as the Tigers broke or tied 50 records this season. Auburn began the meet on bars, scoring a 49.250. Megan Walker led the Tigers with a career high-tying 9.925. Auburn then took a bit of a tumble on beam, scoring a 48.425. Leading the way were Walker and Abby Milliet, both scoring a 9.825.

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Myers said the win could be a defining moment, though at the time he said he just wanted his team to make up for the 13-3 loss in the first leg of the doubleheader. “We have a responsibility to come forward and put the best effort out there for us and for the fans,” Myers said. “We’re very, very pleased with the people that came to both games today.”

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Auburn then had a bye in the third rotation. On floor, Auburn scored a 48.850. Brittany Webster, Kait Kluz and Lexus Demers all scored a team-leading 9.825. Auburn finished on vault with a 49.075, led by MJ Rott’s and Demers’ 9.875.

Equestrian

Auburn equestrian’s run at another national title ended Saturday, April 18, at the Extraco Events Center, as Tigers were bested by No. 1 Georgia 10-6 in the semifinal round of the National Collegiate Equestrian Association Championships (NCEA). Junior All-American Elizabeth Benson defeated Liza Finsness in the flat, 192-177. Benson had the lone points for Auburn in the fences, defeating Leylan Gleeson, 186-163. Sophomore Ashley Foster beat Gleeson, 177169, and senior Demi Stiegler topped Kylee Arbuckle 189-187. Alexa Rivard finished 3-0 at the NCEA Championships after defeating Charley Thiel, 137.5128.5. Senior Katsy Leeman closed out the meet with a 134.5-0 win over Lauren Tieche. Compiled by Eric Wallace, Andrew Monson and C.J. Holmes

Print Deadline Noon three business days prior to publication

Intrigue Thursday, April 23, 2015

a11 ThePlainsman.com

Intrigue

Art

Social practice class works to bridge gap with Tuskegee Anne Dawson Intrigue Writer

In 1966, at the age of 21, Samuel Younge Jr. went into a store and used a whites-only restroom. The storeowner told Younge, an AfricanAmerican man, to leave and, when he did not, threatened his life. As Younge got off at his bus stop a few minutes later, the storeowner was waiting for him and shot him dead. To honor Younge and other civil rights activists from the Tuskegee area, the Social and Community Engaged Practice class led by Breeden scholar Rick Lowe and associate professor in art Wendy DesChene has teamed up with Tuskegee Safe Haven to put on an event and fundraiser called ‘‘Speak Easy, Listen Hard!’’ Safe Haven is an after-school program to help kids from ages 8-12 stay off the streets, and has worked hard to educate the kids on the activists. Lindsay Steelman, member of the social practice class and junior in communication, said the event was being held to spotlight not only civil rights leaders, but the children of Safe Haven. “We want to draw all of the attention to Safe Haven and all of the wonderful things they are doing,” Steelman said. The exhibition will be held at Fieldwork Projects gallery in Auburn on April 29 from 5-7 p.m. The exhibition will feature paintings from both the kids and members of the class, live performances and a publication containing interviews with civil rights leaders. There will also be a fundraiser to help pro-

vide equipment for the kids, featuring an auction with a canvas painted by the kids. The artwork and fundraiser will be held at Fieldwork, but next door at Perch and Mama Mocha’s there will be handmade jewelry and a play performed by the kids. At Fieldwork, there will also be videos running of the children performing re-enactment skits. The event is based on the importance of connecting Auburn and Tuskegee, which were once close cities, according to Steelman. “We want to set the groundwork to build a bridge between Auburn and Tuskegee again,” Steelman said. By hosting the event, Steeleman said Tuskegee and its people are put on a platform for all of Auburn to see. “We really want a deeper connection with the city of Tuskegee,” said Jonathan Bailey, student in the class and senior in fine arts. The class has been working on their Tuskegee Appreciation Project since the beginning of the semester, and it will be put on entirely by the students. Steelman said since working on the project now she has a changed perspective on Auburn. “I had always thought of Auburn as one thing, but now my eyes have been opened to a new, welcoming side of Auburn,” Steelman said. Emi Peters, administrative support associate for the department of art and art history, said going into the community and working on a collaborative project is the best way to expose this group of awesome kids.

Photos Contributed by Forrest babington

TOP: Jakalia Franklin, member of Safe Haven, shows her art. BOTTOM: Jakalia interviews a town elder.

Organizations

Glimpse into the history of Auburn’s ROTC program Codie Smith Intrigue Writer

Auburn’s ROTC program hold tradition as old as the University itself. Auburn University began as the East Alabama Male College in 1859. However, in 1872, under the Land Grant College Act, the school was reformed to become the Agriculture and Mechanical College of the State of Alabama. The name would later become Alabama Polytechnic Institute before changing to Auburn University. As a land grant college, the school was required to teach subjects predominantly related to agriculture and mechanical arts, as well as provide a general curriculum of instruction in science, the classics and military tactics. “The school from that day, for years after that, was organized into cadet units and all students were cadets, even if they weren’t majoring in military tactics,” said Dwayne Cox, head of Special Collections and Archives at Ralph Brown Draughon Library. All land grant universities required military training for at least students’ freshman and soph-

“

The model that the Army is currently using shows that it is trying to go away from having a large quantity of soldiers to a much higher quality. It used to be, when you look at the Civil War, or World War I or World War II, that the Army had to mobilize on such an incredible level.” —Daniel McCall 2012 Auburn ROTC alumni

omore years. Many universities, such as Auburn, required training all four years. Auburn military cadets lived highly regimented lives, were not allowed to leave campus on the weekends and were required to be in bed by 10 p.m. However, cadets were not guaranteed commission upon graduation. In 1916, the current ROTC program was formed under the 1916 National Defense Act. Before the ROTC program was established, each university was allowed to determine its own programs and methods for training cadets, without uniformity among schools.

At this time, Auburn required cadets to enroll in only two years of military training, although they could choose to complete an advanced fouryear program. Even students who chose to complete the four-year program were not commissioned and were free upon graduation. During World War II, the entire education model of Auburn University changed to better prepare students for war. The school saw an increase in military tactics classes and daily physical fitness classes. Additionally, the University chose to increase women’s fitness classes. At this time, ROTC also chose to lower its commission age from 21-18.

In total, the University provided 34,895 trainees to the war effort. After the war, the mandatory ROTC program remained in place until 1969. The late 1960s saw a disbandment of mandatory ROTC programs at land grant universities. In 1967, Auburn University conducted a selfstudy report, known as Project ‘67, considering the possibility of an elective ROTC program. The mandatory program was disbanded in January 1969, making Auburn University one of the last land grant colleges to do so. “The model that the Army is currently using shows that it is trying to go away from having a large quantity of soldiers to a much higher quality,” said Daniel McCall, 2012 Auburn ROTC alumni, who wrote a thesis on Auburn’s military history. “Back when ROTC was mandatory, it was based on trying to get a large quantity of soldiers to fight. It used to be, when you look at the Civil War, or World War I or World War II, that the Army had to mobilize on such an incredible level.” Today, Auburn still offers an ROTC program, though it is voluntary. Students may participate in a basic two-year training course, or a commissioned four-year course.

photos contributed by Auburn Archives

LEFT: A 1950’s cadet inspection. RIGHT: A 1950 cadet parade marching by the Quad.

Jobs

Résumé tips to impress future employers in 6 seconds Codie Smith Intrigue Writer

Graduation is quickly approaching, and it is time to start applying for internships and jobs. But, as college students, it can be difficult to know what to include in a résumé to make the best impression on future employers. If writing a résumé is not stressful enough, Addye Buckley-Burnell, assistant director of career development and licensed professional counselor at Auburn University’s Career Center, said employers only spend an average of six seconds looking at each résumé. “All of the formatting suggestions we give are based on that rule,” Buck-

ley-Burnell said. “We talk about putting the most important things to the top of the page and on the left hand side of the page because we read top to bottom and left to right.” Buckley-Burnell said all sections on a résumé should be in order of importance, as should any bullet points. Furthermore, she said all résumés should be kept to one page, stressing again many employers only spend six seconds on each résumé. “Students are involved in so many things that they’re doing that it is a struggle for students to get to that one page mark,” Buckley-Burnell said. “Think of your résumé as your

highlights reel instead of everything you’ve done.” While keeping résumés short and concise may be a struggle for many students, others may struggle with knowing what to include. Any information pertaining to high school should not be included in a college résumé, except previous jobs and volunteering. Bullet points should be used to highlight the skills required in the new position, rather than any duties in previous positions. “You need to have different résumés for every position you apply for because each of those positions will be different,” Buckley-Burnell said. “So,

the idea is you look at what you need to be doing in the new job and analyze that and say, ‘Where have I used these skills or where are these skills transferable,’ and highlight those elements.” After students have applied and sent future employers their résumés, they may begin the interview process. “Interviewing is a big challenge,” Buckley-Burnell said. “I encourage everyone to have a mock interview done and that’s something our office does accommodate both in person and via technology.” Auburn students can schedule mock interviews at the Career Center or use the Career Center website to practice

online interviews through a program called InterviewStream. InterviewStream allows students to act out an online interview through a webcam and pre-determined interview questions. Students may then go back and view their responses. “The most common mistake that we see in mock interviews is the ‘tell me about yourself’ question,” BuckleyBurnell said. “Everyone sees it, but no one knows how to answer it. When you’re asked that question, stick to a professional streamline. Think through how you got started, what you’ve done up until now, and why you’re in that room now, professionally.”

Intrigue A12

Thursday, April 23, 2015

The Auburn Plainsman

crime

Social media helps student get back stolen bike Andria Moore Intrigue writer

It’s uncommon for something stolen to be returned, especially by a stranger. With the power of today’s wide spread social media and the strength of the Auburn Family, however one student’s stolen bike could be returned to him. “I had to run into Lowder one day, and I left my bike right outside,” said Tj Nguyen, graduate student in mechanical engineering. “I came right back a few minutes later and my bike was just gone.” Nguyen said he bought the bike just a few weeks before from Samuel Bartlett, junior in computer science, on the free and for sale Facebook group. “Basically, Tj contacted me on Facebook and bought the bike,” Bartlett said. “And then a few weeks later, I saw on Facebook again that it had been stolen.” When Bartlett heard the news of the stolen bike, he posted a status telling everyone to look out for it, as well as posting fliers in the cycling group, Auburn Flyers. A few weeks later, when Nguyen said he was starting to lose hope, Raleigh Clark, employee at a downtown sandwich shop, thought he saw the bike roll by him while at work. “I don’t actually know Tj,” Clark said. “But I remembered the picture Sam posted in the GroupMe of the missing bike.” When Clark saw someone who clearly wasn’t Nguyen walking down the street with the bike, he decided to call Bartlett. “Raleigh called me asking if the bike was still missing,” Bartlett said. “The ironic thing was that when he called, I was actually at a ceremony listening to a speech on why you should love Auburn.” Bartlett then Facebook messaged Nguyen say-

“

Then I said, ‘You can hand that over to me or you can wait for the cops to show up.’ He looked pretty happy to give it to me after that.” —Raleigh Clark

student who returned bike

ing a friend downtown found his bike and was following the perpetrator. Nguyen said he and a few of his friends quickly jumped in the car and drove downtown. “As soon as I confirmed from Sam that it was the stolen bike, I knew I had two options,” Clark said. “I could either stand there and watch him or I could try to do something.” Clark tried calling the police first, but was told there was nothing law enforcement could do unless the owner of the bike called. “At this point, I felt like it was my responsibility to do something,” Clark said. Clark followed the bike thief to Toomer’s Corner and then watched him walk into Mountain High Outfitters looking for bike accessories. When the man came back out and got on the bike again, Clark approached him. “I walked up to him and said, ‘This is not your bike and I know it,’” Clark said. “I showed him a picture of the bike and told him I called my friend and the police.” The thief seemed baffled at first that Clark was willing to approach him and began to make up a story about how he had recently purchased the bike. “Then I said, ‘You can hand that over to me or you can wait for the cops to show up,’” Clark

Ellen Jackson / PHOTOGRAPHER

Tj Nguyen poses with his bike, which was returned to him through a series of events.

said. “He looked pretty happy to give it to me after that.” Nguyen was walking toward Toomer’s when he turned the corner and saw Clark standing with his bike. “I jumped out of my car to look for the perpetrator and instead find this guy in his uniform holding my bike,” Nguyen said. Nguyen’s bike was returned to him through random acts of kindness from strangers in the Auburn community. He said he is determined to

repay the act of kindness to Clark. “I plan on showing up at his work one day, ordering a sandwich and then leaving a generous tip,” Nguyen said. Bartlett said he believes this is also a prime example of the Auburn Family and how far they are willing to go to help. “It really proves a point that all of Auburn is always looking out for each other,” Bartlett said. “I’m happy I got to be a part of that and contribute.”

music

Local tunes: Nate & Function plays for Auburn fanbase Anne Dawson Intrigue writer

Nate & Function, formerly known as Nathan Coker Band, have been making their way around the Auburn community by playing at house parties and formals. The band was formed when lead guitar player and singer Nathan Coker was playing acoustic gigs by himself. Coker began to play at Spicer’s Music. He was joined by Corey Spicer, drummer and vocalist; and Jimmy Green, bass player. Once the three formed a band, Ryan Blackwell, keyboard, trumpet and vocalist; and Jayson Perry, saxophone player, joined them. Since then, the group has found their own sound. Blackwell described the band’s style as a mix of all genres, and said they could play just about anything if they wanted to. Members said they are known for their twists on covers, but they also play original songs. “There are songs I write that I really want to touch people and connect with them, but, for the most part, I just want the

Ellen Jackson / photographer

Nate & Function include Ryan Blackwell, Nathan Coker and Jayson Perry and won Auburn’s UPC Battle of the Bands competition last year.

audience to have fun,” Coker said. Blackwell said they take requests from the audience on the spot, and do their best to fulfill the requests. “I want the audience to

take away the same feeling I get when I play music,” Perry said. “I want them to let go of all the stress and just enjoy the music.” Several artists have influenced the band’s style. Cok-

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er said Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and Drake have had major impacts on the band’s music. Nate & Function mainly perform their music around the Auburn and Opelika areas,

but have also played in Atlanta and Dothan. According to Coker, one of their favorite places to play is Opelika because they seem to have the largest audience there.

“Wherever we’re playing at the moment is my favorite,” Blackwell said. “Each place is always a little bit different and unique.” Perry said his favorite place they played was Blue Barn in Dothan, where they participated in a three-day tour. During the tour, they raised $9,000 and said they felt they made a difference through their music. The band won Auburn’s UPC Battle of the Bands competition last year and was awarded the opportunity to open for Twin Forks and Mat Kearney. Unfortunately, because of rain, the band could not perform. Nate & Function have participated in other competitions, but Perry said they do them for fun. Blackwell said being in the band has helped him grow in his taste in music by experimenting with new sounds. Perry said they would even like to branch out and play Atlanta again. Blackwell said he hopes that when the band members go their separate ways, they can still come together and play.