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A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID • NEWS SINCE 1893
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
COMMUNITY
VOL. 127 • ISSUE 11 • FIRST COPY FREE THEN 50¢
COMMUNITY
Experts question housing market By SAM LANKFORD Community Writer community@theplainsman
The blinds in Ray Huff’s office remain permanently drawn up. Outside, a cacophony of nail guns and jackhammers sputter away while an endless line of traffic budges ever so slightly through a shaded West Glenn Avenue. But there are no clouds in the sky. West Glenn Avenue has been the epicenter of new, unprecedented development. In the past five years, onlookers have seen 160 Ross, West & Wright, The Standard and 191 college rise up from the rubble of old storefronts. The rate at which these complexes, no smaller than 450 bedrooms, are developing worries local real estate managers who say that the market, which was full to begin with, is becoming dangerously oversaturated. Huff has worked in the student housing vein of real estate for 23 years. He owns Auburn Realty, a local group that manages many smaller apartment buildings throughout the City. “There were already vacancies around town, but there are vacancies at a magnitude I’ve never seen with the construction of these large private dorms,” Huff said. Auburn City Manager Jim Buston said he believes that the market is not yet facing issues of overdevelopment. The student housing market, which he believes is represented accurately in the City of Auburn’s Student Housing Task Force Report, is either at or approaching saturation, meaning the construction of additional bedrooms could be excessive. “This year, our company is at 96% occupancy ... which is great, but it’s the lowest occupancy that I’ve ever had,” Huff said. He added that his company usually rests between 99%100% occupancy. With regard to the unusual vacancy rate of 4%, Huff said that a stinging portion of this quotient consists of one-unit condominiums sitting unoccupied. “A lot of the property up and down Magnolia are condominiums, and if you’re a condominium owner renting to students and your one unit doesn’t rent, you’re at zero percent occupancy; we’ve got twenty something of those.” When vacancies are present at such a high rate in these apartment buildings, the health of the market is harmed » See APARTMENTS, 7
Possible enrollment cap,
more housing expected:
Is Auburn at capacity? By EVAN MEALINS Assistant Community Editor community@theplainsman.com
Auburn is traditionally presented as a small, quaint college town, but its streets are becoming increasingly crowded as more and more people move to the City each year. While the City’s non-student population has grown significantly over the years, at the heart of the growth is the University that bears its name. The City said so in its 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report: “From the founding of Auburn University in 1856, the City’s economy has been dominated by the University’s presence.” The University currently enrolls an all-time high 30,460 students, marking a 21.88% increase in student population since the 200910 school year. At the Sept. 12 Board of Trustees workshop meeting, The Plainsman reported that Bill Hardgrave, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, introduced a revision to University policy that would cap undergraduate enrollment at 25,000 and total student enrollment at 32,000. Several other Trustees expressed approval of the enrollment cap, and the revision is likely to be approved, but a formal vote was suspended until the Trustees’ up-
coming meeting on Nov. 22. Reasons for limiting the amount of students in the future are many, but Jay Mittal, director of the graduate community planning program at Auburn University, asserted an obvious fact — “We cannot have limitless growth.” If the University were to allow itself to grow indefinitely, more traffic would fill downtown streets, more parking would be required to be built and the City would be generally more congested. “Every place has a carrying capacity,” Mittal remarked. “Every university has a carrying capacity.” Once a city exceeds that capacity, its infrastructure may not be able to handle the strain of a large population. The City may be coming close to that capacity, Mittal said. Undergraduate enrollment at the University currently sits at 24,628, less than 400 students away from the mark at which enrollment is predicted to be capped. Limiting student enrollment would cause the demographics of the City to change, as stated in the City of Auburn’s 2019 Student Housing Report: “As the City’s population continues to increase, Auburn’s demographic will begin to transition, with older residents and families with children making up a larger proportion
of the population.” In addition to shifting current demographics, limiting the amount of students at the University may impact the local economy. Students are a valuable asset to the local economy, and by spending their money at Auburn businesses, paying rent at off-campus housing and purchasing transportation services in the City, students contribute to the local tax base. Levying a 4% sales and use tax is the primary method the City government employs to gain revenue from students. “Students are an important part of our local economy along with all Auburn citizens, regional citizens, businesses and visitors,” said Megan McGowen Crouch, assistant city manager for the City of Auburn. “Everyone in Auburn contributes to the tax base through the money they spend, from the hospitality industry to retail.” In 2018, local sales and use tax accounted for 57% of the City of Auburn’s total tax revenue of just over $73 million, according to the 2018 financial report. Figuring just how much students contribute to that tax base, however, is not easy because the City doesn’t have a mechanism to specifically measure the economic impact of students » See ENROLLMENT, 6
LIFESTYLE
Restaurants add 3% culinary fee to improve wages By NATALIE BECKERINK Lifestyle Editor lifestyle@theplainsman
After being greeted and taken to their seats, customers at The Hound and The Depot have now been told about a 3% culinary fee that has been added to the food items on their bill before the server takes their order. On Oct. 15, the Executive Leadership Team for the two restaurants decided to add this fee, according to a press release. The press release states that the fees were added to assist in providing higher wages for kitchen employees and combat the nationwide culinary worker short-
age that has been continuously growing throughout the country. “We rely heavily on our kitchen team to provide the highest quality food and must implement this new policy in order to pay a more competitive wage and retain the best talent possible,” according to the Executive Leadership Team in a press release. “This fee is distributed directly to the non-management hourly kitchen staff in addition to their normal rate of pay.” Scott Simpson, executive chef and co-owner of The Depot, has worked at the restaurant since it opened four years ago. He does the hiring for the culinary team and has seen first-hand what has been happening to jobs in
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the culinary field. “The culinary career, there was a time when it was very appealing and considered exciting, and there’s all these celebrity chefs,” Simpson said. “People were kind of getting drawn to it because of that, but I think that people realize that it’s a lot harder than what it looks like on TV; that flood of applicants quickly tapered off.” Culinary jobs are often underestimated in regards to how much work goes into it and how large of a time commitment it is, Simpson said. “It’s a pretty hard position,” he said. “It’s a pretty hard job. There are difficulties within the job like manual labor, but it also requires skill, and usually for that skill, you have to
invest in personally to learn that trade. You also may have to pay to go to culinary school to do that.” When people decide to pursue a culinary profession, they often end up taking a second job in order to take care of their families or pay their bills, he said. “People who are looking to raise a family and do what they love to do, they oftentimes have to pick up a second job,” Simpson said. “Every person who has picked up a second job has always told me that they could do it in their sleep compared to what they have to do in the restaurant.” The fee is not an idea that originated in Auburn, so if customers have questions for
the restaurants or would like to discuss it further, the Executive Leadership Team encourages them to reach out to a manager of either establishment. “Our intention is to be transparent, to both our staff and our guests and to provide a fair living wage to all of our employees,” the Executive Leadership Team stated in the press release. “We are grateful for the continued loyalty of our Auburn Family. Together, we are building a better future for the Auburn culinary community.” By adding the fee, the kitchen staff will have a more visible appreciation given to them, something that is » See FEE, 11
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opinion
2
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
THEPLAINSMAN.COM
OPINION
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Murray: All should be afforded free speech By BRUCE MURRAY Associate Professor
Orthodox Jews, Muslims, evangelical Christians and Catholics among students and faculty at Auburn may be surprised to learn that a group of professors in the College of Education considers them mentally ill and a danger to those who hold secular views about sexuality. Without license or data for their diagnoses, they claim the recognition that humans are either male or female is “transphobic” and the conviction that sex should be restricted to natural marriage is “homophobic.” Phobias are mental illnesses. Religious students have some actual cause for fear if they face reprisals from these professors for affirming the scientific fact that sex is determined at conception and is an unbreachable biological barrier between males and females, or defending the ethical principle that sexual relations should be restricted to natural marriage. Given these risks, the words of the Auburn Creed have special significance: “I believe in a spirit that is not afraid.”
Are religious students and faculty dangerous? The professors argue that “no student at Auburn University . . . should encounter language or practices that devalue their [sic] personhood or humanity.” Since religious language and practices affirm the male/female binary and the restriction of sexual relations to natural marriage, those who state their convictions are on a collision course with those determined to redefine sexual ethics. Conflicts among deeply held values are to be expected at a university, particularly one like Auburn that explicitly protects free speech and the civil exchange of ideas. Both religious students and their secular critics are challenged to rethink their assumptions and build consistent worldviews in light of the best evidence. Such rethinking, far from “devaluing personhood or humanity,” is essential for developing clear and consistent ideas that incorporate the findings of science as well as the ancient wisdom of humanity. Intellectual diversity challenges us to forge defensible ideas with enduring validity. We all want “the culture and systems within the university transformed to be more welcoming, affirming and just,” but that
includes being welcoming, affirming, and just to religious and conservative students and faculty as well as those who reject the religious understanding of sexual ethics. Religious members of the Auburn family, too, want to be respected for their diverse views rather than being coerced to conform to a rigid orthodoxy. They want a campus where they can explore ideas, where they will not face sanctions for holding different points of view. The goal of attracting a rich diversity of students and faculty will not be advanced by imposing uniformity of thought. A campus without mutual respect and the free exchange of ideas, especially about core questions of sexual ethics, will be less welcoming to students with conservative and religious convictions. If orthodox Jews, Muslims, evangelical Christians and Catholics are told to shut up, Auburn will be a decidedly less diverse university. Bruce Murray is an associate professor of reading education at Auburn University.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
AU employees pen message to Auburn’s LGBTQ community In light of recent reporting in The Plainsman regarding the anti-LGBTQ+ culture that exists at Auburn, we the undersigned wish to express our wholehearted support for LGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty.
We take to heart the stated goal of Auburn University’s Office of Inclusion & Diversity to “create, promote, and encourage a supportive and friendly campus environment that is welcoming and attractive to people of all races,
ethnicity, nationalities, religions, gender, sexual orientation, and those with disabilities” and we urge our colleagues and leadership to do the same. Though this statement cannot undo the pat-
Kate M. Craig
Chris Schnittka Professor, Education
Assistant Professor, Education
Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
Wendy R. Hood
Ellen Campbell
Sarah R. Hamilton
Kelley Young
Jennifer E. Brooks
Bryan Beckingham
Hyeongwoo Kim
Assistant Professor, History
Mike Cook
terns of marginalization and exclusion that mar the reputation of our university, it is our hope that it will let our students and coworkers know that they do not stand alone. Signed,
Associate Professor, History
Instructor, Communication & Journalism
Associate Professor, History
Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering
Sunny Stalter-Pace
Dave Lucsko
Lisa A. W. Kensler
Brian L. Connelly
Hargis Associate Professor, English
Leigh Gruwell
Professor and Chair, History
Sara B. Demoiny
Professor, Education
Lynne Patrick
Assistant Professor, English
Assistant Professor, Education
Director, Truman Pierce Institute; Associate
Monique Laney
Sara Speetjens Gilley
Clinical Professor, Education
Tracy Witte
Assistant Professor, Education
Associate Professor, History
Kenneth W. Noe Professor, History
Emily C. Friedman
Ph.D. candidate, Geosciences
Associate Professor, Psychology
Professor & Dept. Head, Special Education,
Mallory Lucier-Greer
Rehabilitation and Counseling
Cissy J. Ballen
Associate Professor, Human Sciences
Audrey Lowry
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Amy Cicchino
Professor & Chair, English
Melissa Estes Blair
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Associate Professor, History
Wiebke Kuhn
Associate Director, Biggio Center
Austin McCoy
Associate Professor, Education
Assistant Professor, History
Scott Phillips
Associate Professor, Theatre
Elijah Gaddis
Katie Shade
Associate Professor, Education
Kamden K. Strunk Lucretia O. Tripp
Katherine M Buckley
Assistant Professor, History
Director of Production, Theatre
Hannah Baggett
Vivian Miller
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Joseph Bardeen
Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
Kelly Kennington
Associate Professor, Psychology
Professor, Education
Marian Carcache
Angela Love
Associate Professor & Early Childhood Education Program Coordinator, Education
Craig E. Bertolet
Spanish Instructor, Foreign Languages and Literatures
Geoffrey Silvera
Allison Vandenberg Instructor, Women’s Studies
Amy Childress
Jason Upton
Deborah Solomon
Stephanie L. Shepherd
Jean Ashley Butler
Assistant Professor, Political Science
Charles Lesh
Ashley Ludewig
Professor and Chair, Political Science
David Blersch
Paris Strom
Jeremy M. Downes
Associate Professor, Communication and Journalism
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Lecturer and Interim Director of Composition, English
Associate Director, University Writing
Tonia Schwartz
Laurie Stevison
Carey Andrzejewski
Assistant Professor, English
Staff, Education
Jamie Carney
Instructor (retired), English
Associate Professor, Education Lecturer, Theatre
Bob Pantazes
Assistant Professor, Geosciences
Rita M. Graze
Associate Professor, History Assistant Professor, Geosciences
Laura Bilenker
Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering
Assistant Professor, Education
Chase Bringardner
Tal Peretz
Assistant Professor, Sociology
Karley A. Riffe
Erich Nunn
Associate Professor & Chair, Theatre
Debra Armstrong-Wright
Lindsay Doukopoulos
Assistant Director, Biggio Center
Pre-Law Programs Coordinator, Political Science
Associate Professor, English
Technology Specialist, Business
Jack Montgomery
Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering
Professor and Chair, Economics
Andrew Pendola
Associate Professor, English
Assistant Professor, Education
Professor, Management
Lecturer, English
Laura Nan Fairley
Paul Harris
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Marie Strader
Humana-Germany-Sherman
David Shannon
Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, English
Carmen Rossell
Instructor, English
Assistant Professor, English
Guillaume Salze
School of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Mike Kensler
Research Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Distinguished Professor, Education
Associate Professor, Engineering
Director, Office of Sustainability
Ana Grinberg
Associate Professor, English
Jamie Oaks
Academic Advisor, Liberal Arts
Virginia Davis
Alicia Carroll
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Professor, Biological Sciences
Keren Gorodeisky
Associate Professor, History
Jennifer Robinson
Paul Cobine
Jane Dickson Lanier Professor, Philosophy
Nate B Hardy
Coordinator, Auburn University Bands
Associate Professor, Entomology
Eden McLean
Associate Professor, History
Francesca Adler-Baeder
Director of Advising, Agriculture
Professor, Human Sciences
Carrie Spell
Senior Lecturer, English
Scott Simkins
Brennan van Alderwerelt
University Libraries
Susan Teubner-Rhodes
Assistant Professor, History
Assistant Professor, Psychology
Robert B. Ekelund
Professor and Eminent Scholar Emeritus, Economics
Marcelo A. Kuroda
Haruka Wada
Costume Coordinator, Theatre
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Chad Wickman
Associate Professor, English
Darrell Crutchley Staff, Liberal Arts
Wendy Troop-Gordon
Lecturer, English
Associate Professor, Psychology
Matthew Clary
Lecturer, Political Science
Christopher Basgier
Associate Professor, Human Sciences
Associate Director of University Writing
Jill Crystal
Diana R. Samek
Professor, Political Science
Crystal Garcia
Assistant Professor, Education
Antonio Duran
Associate Professor, Human Sciences
Josh R. Novak
Assistant Professor, Human Sciences
Konrad Patkowski
Assistant Professor, Education
Associate Professor, Chemistry
Sara Wolf
Daydrie Hague
Associate Professor and Graduate Program Officer, Education
Professor, Theatre
Staff, Education
Marilyn Bradbard
Ashley Aston
Maiben Beard
Associate Professor, History
Courtney Leisner
Instructor, English
Director, Student Academic Support
Svetlana Chesser
Lisa Simmons
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Assistant Professor, History
Associate Professor Emeritus, Mathematics and Statistics
Professor, Economics
Elizabeth Ann Benson
Professor, Secondary Social Studies Education
Megan Haskins
T. Randolph Beard Bevin Roue
Associate Professor, Theatre
Assistant Clinical Professor, Education
Duha T. Altindag
Associate Professor, Economics
Kelly Alley
Research Assistant Professor, Geosciences
Professor, Anthropology
Jennifer Wood
Instructor, Human Sciences
Magdalena Garmaz
Kathryn Floyd
Associate Professor, English
Administrator, University Writing
Matthew Hoch
Associate Professor, Music
Lauren M. Ruhlmann Megan Burton
Academic Advisor, Agriculture
Christopher Ferguson
Nancy Thacker
Robert Gordon
Annie B. Campbell
Jennifer Salter
Associate Professor, Political Science
Assistant Professor, Human Sciences
Assistant Professor, Art & Art History
Heidi Hausse
Bertram Zinner
Professor Emerita, Human Sciences Senior Lecturer, Psychology
Jaime Miller
Jonathon Brock
Assistant Research Professor, Education
Assistant Professor, Education
Robyn Westbrook
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Holly E. Dunlap
Amy Brock
Xaq Frohlich
Director, Women’s Studies Senior Lecturer, English
Assistant Professor, Physics
Sarah Ferguson
Assistant Clinical Professor, Education
Associate Professor, Economics
Kathryn Olsen Wickman
Lecturer, Geoscience
Alan D. Meyer
Gilad Sorek
Arianne M. Gaetano
Associate Professor, Sociology amd
Senior Lecturer, English
Ross R. Blair
Associate Professor, Education
Katrina Akande
Assistant Professor, Human Sciences
Assistant Professor, Theatre
Kelly Ann Krawczyk Jada Kohlmeier Chris Qualls
Stephanie Rogers
Miriam Marty Clark Matt Malczycki
Associate Professor, Architecture
Associate Professor, Art & Art History
Matt Gist
Associate Professor, History
Staff, Theatre
Frances O’Donnell
Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering
Elif Dede Yildirim
Jonathan Hallford
Assistant Professor, Education
Ryan Schey
Jamie Harrison
Assistant Professor, Human Sciences
Academic Advisor, Liberal Arts
Associate Professor, English
Anton DiSclafani
Associate Professor, English
Stephen Erath
Susan A. Youngblood
Assistant Professor, English
Jim Ellis
William Murrah
Associate Professor, Physics
Associate Professor, Education
Derek G. Ross Sarit Dhar
Outreach Associate, Caroline Marshall Draughon
Professor, Human Sciences
Center for the Arts & Humanities
Mary Jane McIlwain
Staff, College of Education
Assistant Professor, Education
Associate Professor, Education
Anya Riehl Bertolet
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Natalia Ruiz-Junco
Vicky Cardullo
Associate Professor and Director of
Asim Ali
Core Literature, English
Alumna, Chemical Engineering
Sarah Chandler
Assistant Professor, Theatre
Assistant Professor, Education
SueAnne Griffith
Assistant Professor and Undergraduate
Alumnae, College of Engineering
Program Director, Sociology
Director, Auburn Online
Amy Strickland
Cathleen M. Giustino
Associate Professor, History
Professor, History
Elena Aydarova
Assistant Professor, Education
Cari Dunn
Aditi Sengupta
Lauren Beckingham
Assistant Professor, Economics
Program Manager, Office of Sustainability Humana-Germany-Sherman
Associate Professor and Graduate
Distinguished Professor, Education
Program Officer, Economics
Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering
Keith Hebert
Jong Hyun Chung Sydney Provence
Postdoctoral Researcher, Physics
Moisés A. Bernal Maryam Ali
Susan Bannon
Associate Professor, Director, Learning Resources Center
Cynthia Bowling
Professor and Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts
Mona El-Sheikh
Professor, Human Sciences
Correction: In last week’s piece regarding the LGBTQ community, there was a paragraph stating that Bruce Murray had written in a letter to the Opelika-Auburn News that when “jubilant homosexuals celebrated the decision” of same-sex marriage equality in New York, they were “losers.” Murray says he did not mean “jubilant homosexuals” were losers; he meant that “unmarried men, unmarried women and children are the losers when marriage is arbitrarily redefined.” The Plainsman regrets the error.
The Auburn Plainsman
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
PAGE 3
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Colleagues respond to ‘homophobic’ online posts On Thursday, Oct. 31, The Auburn Plainsman published an article shedding light on the “undercurrent of fear” many LGBTQ+ students experience at Auburn University. Editor-in-Chief Medina highlighted that Dr. Bruce Murray, a faculty member in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, authored homophobic and transphobic social media posts and local newspaper op-ed pieces. As faculty members in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, we believe that no student at Auburn University, or at any educational institution, should encounter language or practices that devalue their personhood or humanity. While the recent article focuses on one particular faculty member, the problems highlighted are present throughout the Auburn University community. For instance, the Princeton Review recently ranked Auburn University as the fifth most LGBTQ-unfriendly college in the nation. We desire to see the culture and systems within the university transformed to be more welcoming, affirming and just for LGBTQ+ people, whether students, staff or faculty. We are committed to preparing future K-12 teachers who seek equity and justice for all students. LGBTQ+ students in K-12 schools especially need such teachers. Educational research demonstrates that LGBTQ+ students persistently encounter biased remarks, victimization, harassment and assault, which result in pervasive absentee-
ism, lower academic achievement and poor psychological well-being. However, teachers’ actions and beliefs can improve these situations, and the Alabama Quality Teacher Standards point to teachers’ professional obligation to act in such ways. These standards require teachers to have “knowledge of how personal/cultural biases can affect teaching and learning” and to have the “ability to create a learning community in which individual differences are respected.” As educational researchers and faculty, we recognize from scholars, such as Friere and hooks, that our actions and ideologies outside of the classroom cannot be compartmentalized from our teaching. Our personal beliefs and actions affect our teaching and how students experience our courses. We believe that all educators have a professional and ethical responsibility to cultivate classrooms where LGBTQ+ students can learn, flourish and enrich their communities. As Curriculum and Teaching faculty members, we recognize the need for Auburn University to substantively address these systemic issues with immediacy. This response includes the Department of Curriculum and Teaching. As such we have asked for meetings with our department and administration to begin the long overdue work of repair and transformation. In addition, we echo the ongoing calls for Auburn University administration to address the multiple concerns expressed by faculty and students regarding long standing histories of op-
pressive policies, practices, and culture within our University. And, to our students, we see you, value you and want you to know that we are here to support you and advocate alongside you. Nancy Barry, Ph.D. — Professor of Music Education Mike P. Cook, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor of English Education Sara B. Demoiny, Ph.D. —Assistant Professor of Elementary Education Jamie Harrison, Ed.D. — Associate Professor of ESOL Education Jada Kohlmeier, Ph.D. — Professor of Secondary Social Sciences Education Angela Love, Ph.D. — Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education W. Gary Martin, Ed.D. — Leischuck Endowed Professor of Mathematic Education Martina P. McGhee, Ph.D. — Assistant Clinical Professor of Elementary Education Mary Jane McIlwain, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor of Reading Education Nicole Mitchell — Clinical Lecturer of Early Childhood Education Ryan Schey, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor of English Education Christine Schnittka, Ph.D. — Professor of Secondary Science Education Marilyn E. Strutchens, Ph.D. — Leischuck Endowed and M.C. Farley Distinguished Professor of Mathematic Education Jesús A. Tirado, PhD — Assistant Professor of Secondary Social Studies Lucretia O. Tripp, Ph.D. — Associate Professor of Elementary Education
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Education faculty sends letter to AU community By COE CRITICAL STUDIES GROUP On Oct. 30, 2019, The Auburn Plainsman published an article revealing that a College of Education faculty member, Bruce Murray, has repeatedly shared homophobic and transphobic messages on social media. As noted in the article and in a statement that we as the Critical Studies Working Group released on Oct. 31, these issues exist beyond Bruce Murray. Homophobia and transphobia have long existed on Auburn University’s campus, leading to its consistent ranking by The Princeton Review as one of the most unfriendly campuses for LGBTQ+ people in the United States. As a group of faculty, staff and students who are committed to the critical study of education and to understanding how educational agents/institutions contribute to systems of oppression, we believe it is important to address these issues. Namely, it is time for Auburn University, and specifically, the College of Education, to take a stand to support LGBTQ+ students, staff, faculty and community members. With this call in mind, we have asked to meet with university leadership, as well as members of the College of Education administrative team. As a group, we have craft-
ed a list of action items that we believe are important next steps to address the long-standing issues that LGBTQ+ people face at Auburn University and within the College of Education. Importantly, these action items must be considered in relationship to other issues of diversity, knowing that legacies of oppression at Auburn render those from multiple minoritized communities (e.g., LGBTQ+ people of Color, LGBTQ+ people with disabilities) most vulnerable. We are publishing this list in The Auburn Plainsman as a way to keep ourselves and the institution that we love accountable to create a community where all students can thrive. You will find that this list includes action items that we commit to take, together with those that we see necessary to address on an Auburn University and College of Education level. It also includes signatures from other concerned individuals within the College of Education. We hope that this letter signals to students from all communities that we are advocating for an Auburn family that is just and equitable to those from all minoritized backgrounds. We also hope that you will stand with us as we continue to fight to make Auburn a better place for all.
Signed by the Critical Studies Faculty Affiliates: Carey E. Andrzejewski Associate Professor, Educational Foundations Hannah Baggett Assistant Professor, Educational Research Mike P. Cook Assistant Professor, English Education Sara B. Demoiny Assistant Professor, Elementary Education Antonio A. Duran Assistant Professor, Administration of Higher Education
Crystal E. Garcia Assistant Professor, Administration of Higher Education Evelyn A. Hunter Assistant Professor, Counseling Psychology Laura Parson Assistant Professor, Administration of Higher Education Karley A. Riffe Assistant Professor, Administration of Higher Education
Ryan Schey Assistant Professor, English Education Kamden K. Strunk Associate Professor, Educational Research Leonard D. Taylor, Jr. Assistant Professor, Administration of Higher Education Nancy E. Thacker Assistant Professor, Counselor Education Jesus A. Tirado Assistant Professor, Elementary Education
Individuals signing in support of the list of actions are listed below. Susan Bannon Associate Professor and Director, Learning Resources Center Jason C. Bryant Assistant Clinical Professor, Educational Leadership
Filien Luiten Multimedia Specialist
Ciera A. Dorsey Graduate Student
Martina P. McGhee Assistant Clinical Professor, Elementary Education
Payton D. Hoover Graduate Student Katelyn Hope Graduate Student
Sherrica S. Bryars IT Specialist
Lisa Simmons Assistant Research Professor, Center for Evaluation
Megan Burton Associate Professor, Elementary Education
Lucretia O. Tripp Associate Professor, Elementary Education
Vicky Cardullo Associate Professor, Elementary Education
Sara Wolf Associate Professor, Library Media
Wiebke Kuhn Graduate Student
Benjamin T. Arnberg Ph.D. Candidate
Wilson S. Lester Graduate Student
Andrea L. Beall Graduate Student
Margaret E. Mastrogiovanni Graduate Student
Jordan T. Beckum Graduate Student
Dawn Morgan Graduate Student
Jasmine S. Betties Graduate Student
Garry Morgan Graduate Student
Trey M. Collins Graduate Student
Katie Morgan Graduate Student Ariel L. Steele Graduate Student
Jim Ellis IT Specialist Jung Won Hur Associate Professor, Library Media Lisa Kensler Professor, Educational Leadership Jada Kohlmeier Professor, Social Science Education Joni Lakin Associate Professor Audrey M. Lowry Multimedia Specialist Angela Love Associate Professor, Early Childhood Education
Matthew A. Cox Graduate Student Elizabeth A. Devore Graduate Student
Abigail L. Jones Graduate Student Allison J. Kam Student
Christia M. Stein Graduate Student Jessica A. Weise Graduate Student
REQUESTS:
Auburn University 1. Issue a public, immediate statement denouncing the transphobic, homophobic and racist language highlighted in the Oct. 30, Plainsman article. • This statement should affirm Auburn University’s commitment to serving and affirming LGBTQ individuals. • Additionally, the statement should outline how Auburn University is going to engage in action steps to address the institution-wide legacies of transphobia, homophobia and racism. 2. Implement the chosen name and pronoun feature through the Banner system by Fall 2020. 3. Engage students, staff and faculty in public forums about LGBTQ+-related resources that are available at benchmark institutions to see how they can be implemented at Auburn (e.g., gender-inclusive housing, gender-inclusive bathrooms, trans-affirming health care policies and legal support). 4. Bring together a working group to discuss the creation of an LGBTQ+ center on campus and the staffing of student affairs professionals dedicated to LGBTQ+ issues. 5. Dedicate a specific page on the Auburn University website that discusses resources available at Auburn, the surrounding area and nationally that affirm the presence and inclusion of LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff and community members. • This webpage should have a statement from university administrators supporting Auburn University’s commitment to serving LGBTQ+ individuals. 6. Issue an official statement on what academic freedom and freedom of speech mean to the University and how these freedoms relate to LGBTQ+ experiences on campus. • Furthermore, faculty and administrators should receive training on topics of academic freedom and freedom of speech as it relates to supporting minoritized communities. 7. Create institutional structures that show explicit and sustained attention to equity and justice-oriented scholars, especially scholars from minoritized groups, during future faculty job searches. • This same attention should also be given in staff and administrator searches as well. • Positions should be created with salary and resource compensation levels that meet or exceed regional norms and are sufficient to recruit and retain these employees. 8. Direct additional funding for student groups focusing on equity and justice work and minoritized communities. 9. Direct additional funds for faculty work (e.g., research and outreach) focusing on equity and justice work and minoritized communities. College of Education Issue a public, immediate statement denouncing the transphobic, homophobic and racist language highlighted in the Oct. 30, Plainsman article. • This statement should affirm the College of Education’s commitment to serving and affirming LGBTQ individuals. • Additionally, the statement should outline how the College of Education is going to engage in action steps to address college-wide legacies of transphobia, homophobia and racism. 2. Publicly release the findings of the College of Education Climate Survey orchestrated last academic year and discuss its relevance to the recent issues brought up in the Plainsman article 3. Host a town hall meeting with students, staff and faculty about The Plainsman article and related issues. • At this town hall meeting, the findings from the aforementioned College of Education Climate Survey should be shared. 4. Incorporate a required presentation during the upcoming College of Education Dean search where candidates will discuss their plan to advocate and integrate equity and social justice issues into the college. 5. Design a structure where promotion and tenure decisions include how teaching, research, service and outreach related to issues of equity and social justice. This structure should include a review of teaching, teaching materials, teaching philosophy, etc. 6. Require that each faculty member must have their in-class and online teaching reviewed with special attention to how they engage issues of equity and social justice. 7. Collaborate with other colleges to locate and create a list of critical scholars across campus. 8. Create institutional structures that show explicit and sustained attention to equity and justice-oriented scholars, especially scholars from minoritized groups, during future faculty job searches. • This same attention should also be given in staff and administrator searches as well. • Positions should be created with salary and resource compensation levels that meet or exceed regional norms and are sufficient to recruit and retain these employees. 9. Direct additional funding for student groups focusing on equity and justice work and minoritized communities. 10. Direct additional funds for faculty work (e.g., research and outreach) focusing on equity and justice work and minoritized communities. 11. Collaborate with university administration to address the institution-wide concerns listed above. 1.
1.
2.
Critical Studies Working Group Faculty affiliates of the Critical Studies Working Group commit to continuing to advocate for LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as other minoritized groups, by: • Pushing forward for a university-wide chosen name and pronoun option to be both implemented in Fall 2020 within Banner and other information systems. • Creating and collaborating with other university offices (e.g., the Biggio Center and Office of Inclusion and Diversity) to orchestrate training for faculty, staff, and students about gender identity and gender-inclusive practices. • Generating a public listing on our website about the ways that the Critical Studies Working Group has been, and continues, to work toward equity and inclusion for queer and transgender communities. This list will include links to resources we have created or collected that will be freely available. Contingent upon additional financial support from the College of Education (e.g., release time or research funding), the Critical Studies Working Group would contribute to these initiatives by: • Planning and implementing a day-long symposium on issues pertaining to queer and transgender communities in educational disciplines. • Inviting scholars who are leaders in queer and transgender issues in education to offer distinguished lectures in the Fall and Spring of 2020. • Providing workshops specific to College of Education faculty and staff about considerations relating to sexuality and gender identity in teaching. • Offering consultation to redesign existing educational coursework to include a stronger consideration of LGBTQ+ identities and experiences.
campus
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
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CAMPUS
ACCESSIBILITY
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EAGLES currently offers a two-year program with the students living in on-campus housing.
‘Inclusion is having every opportunity’ Auburn’s EAGLES program expands to offer students four-year option next fall By DREW DAWS Campus Writer
A portion of the Auburn Creed reads, “I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.” One organization is working to put this statement into action, providing everyone a chance at pursuing higher education. The Education to Accomplish Growth in Life Experiences for Success program gives young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to have an immersive college experience. “Our four overarching goals are employment development, academic enrichment, personal-social skill development and independent-living skills,” said Betty Patten, di-
rector of the program. EAGLES currently offers a two-year program with the students living in on-campus housing. However, Patten said a four-year program is on the horizon. “This won’t go into effect until next fall,” she said. “We’ll help those [students] who were invited back to attend secure off-campus housing, and they’ll still be enrolled in classes and attend programmatic events, however, they won’t have as much support.” She said students accepted into the twoyear program won’t necessarily participate in the third and fourth years. “Students will be offered an invitation to return, so it’ll be offered to those who have demonstrated through a rating scale that they can live semi-independently with minimal support,” Patten said.
Those who are accepted into the advanced program will not be required to live with other EAGLES students, she said. “Students will have the option to live off campus in an apartment with peers that aren’t necessarily a part of our program,” Patten said. “There will be support in a sense that we can check in with them, but nobody will be living with them that’s on staff for the program.” The two-year program launched in August 2018. Patten said she thinks the program allows these students the chance to grow and become ready to transition into life as an adult. “College is that time where people, with and without disabilities, are able to have an opportunity to discover more about themselves,” she said. “[College] is that time of
self-discovery. You’re working out what you want to do with the rest of your life.” Patten added that the program, which currently has eight students, encourages them to further develop their skills, rather than transitioning from high school into work. She said the University serves as a prime setting for this type of development to occur. “I feel like [Auburn] is just the perfect environment,” she said. “They’re so included. They’ve been embraced. They just need more support to really cultivate those skills.” Patten said there is a structured curriculum for students in the program, something that is slightly different than that of other college students. » See EAGLES, 5
COMPETITION
Auburn Off-Road competes with car built from scratch By COLLINS KEITH Campus Writer
Auburn Off-Road has been active on Auburn’s campus since the mid ‘70s. Every year, this tightly-knit group of students designs, builds and competes with a car that is created from scratch. While the members are primarily engineering majors, Zach Pace, the team’s co-captain, said it is not a requirement to join the team. Pace said there is always work to be done and someone willing to teach those who may not know as much. Auburn Off-Road has a typical development cycle that lasts around 9 months. Starting in August, the team begins to make designs of the car, sometimes using last year’s car as a model. Towards mid-to-late October, the team starts the building and construction of the physical car, aiming to have a rolling car by E-Day, the annual open house for the Col-
lege of Engineering, and a drivable car by spring break. “We don’t always meet those goals, and there’s other [goals] within those, but [those are] the big ones,” Pace said. After the team is happy with the car, they begin the final phase of the year: going to competitions. Within these competitions, the team participates in both static and dynamic events. Static events can be presenting a sales pitch to a panel of industry professionals who are engineers at large companies. There’s also a design review of the cars, where each team has to defend and support their individual design of the car. Dynamic events can be either individual or multi-car events. The individual events range from acceleration, suspension, traction and many more, while the multi-car event is a four hour endurance race. While the terrain varies due to the geographic location
of the competition, the endurance race involves cars from 99 other teams, with drivers switching out as needed. Historically, Auburn OffRoad has done well at these events, placing in the top 10 multiple times. In 2015, they placed 6th overall, with a 5th place in the Hill Climb and Maneuverability category, and 3rd in Acceleration. Recently, though, the team has struggled with funding and member retention. Right now, they have around 15 consistent members. One of the biggest problems that Auburn Off-Road struggles with is the passage of knowledge onto underclassmen. “All of the officers and senior members of the team are juniors and seniors,” Pace said. “When they graduate, if they didn’t pass on the knowledge … [the newer members] are figuring it out for themselves. You can’t really grow if you’re having to start over every year.”
VIA AUBURN OFF-ROAD
A member of Auburn Off-Road competes in a car built by the team.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
The Auburn Plainsman
PAGE 5
MILITARY
Green Zone aims to bring awareness to veterans’ issues By TIM NAIL Campus Reporter
The Veterans Resource Center is looking to inform the faculty and student body about how to better approach student veterans through the introduction of a new training course. The program, Green Zone, seeks to provide “a deeper understanding and appreciation of the student veteran and military affiliated experience” to traditional, non-military students and faculty, according to a statement provided by the Veterans Resource Center. “With so many students coming in [because of] the post-9/11 influx from the G.I. Bill, it brought a lot of students who were straight out of the military back into higher education,” said Kyle Venable, coordinator for veterans programs on campus and the former president of the Auburn Student Veterans Association. “That assimilation had never happened before in such large numbers, and a lot of universities didn’t know how to deal with military personnel coming in, especially straight from a war zone.” Mental health education and relevant programs are becoming more normalized and available in university settings, but Venable said they’re not often staffed with faculty who have experience with the military. Some veterans return from combat or their stations with conditions like traumatic brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder and find themselves unable to relate to others who study or work at school. “[With Green Zone], we want to let faculty and staff know of some of the things military-affiliated students have gone through, like deployments or TBIs,” he said. “A lot of times, if you tell somebody you’re a veteran, the first thing they think is you were in combat.” In this sense, Venable said he hopes the
DREW DAWS / CAMPUS WRITER
A student veteran works at the Auburn Veteran’s Resource Center in Auburn, Ala.
program will clear up misconceptions those unfamiliar with military life may have. The name Green Zone comes from a designated safe area during the War in Afghanistan. “When [the U.S.] was bombing Baghdad and took over, the parallel and perpendicular lines around Baghdad were cordoned off, and that’s what made a safe zone for all the U.M. and U.S. forces,” Venable said. Dates are still being determined for faculty trainings, but the program will also expand to the student body in the spring semester. The Auburn Student Veterans Association will assist in its growth, said Benjamin Barrontine, the organization’s president and
senior in industrial engineering and Spanish. “Right now, we have a great relationship with SGA, Student Affairs and Student Involvement,” Barrontine said. “We are going to try to mimic the bigger organizations such as SGA and the Greek councils on how they market and promote themselves.” Barrontine said the essence of the program will involve the main staff of veteran programs, such as Venable, giving their background in service. Barrontine will discuss the transition from the armed forces to higher education and take questions from participants as a representative for student veterans. Events leading into Green Zone’s launch
for students will include a “meet a vet” open forum in which student veterans will share their stories to attendees, Barrontine said. Venable developed the program for Auburn in part because of a run-in during a class with a professor. “We were talking about rules of engagement in combat in this ethics class,” he said. “He knew I was a veteran because I wore these shirts. He kinda called me out in class and asked a question, so I gave my piece and told him what I thought, then he fired back at me with some questions that really made me feel uncomfortable.” The Veterans Resource Center is in talks with the University Medical Clinic to have specialists hired who would address student veterans’ mental health, and Barrontine hopes Green Zone will aid in the project’s progress. “Essentially to use your VA benefits, you have to go to a VA hospital, and that’s about an hour drive,” he said. “For a lot of student veterans, that’s just not feasible. We’re working to establish something on campus that’s readily available.” Green Zone will be similar to other trainings on campus in that labels will be created and sent out to faculty who have completed the course and are Green Zone-certified. “As a veteran, I want to walk into somebody’s office knowing, ‘OK, they know a little bit about VA, they know about benefits,’” Venable said. “I know I can go in there and say a couple terms, so that’ll give a bit of familiarity and put [veterans] at ease when they come into that environment.” Barrontine said ASVA wants to see the advisors and some faculty of every college on campus having taken part in Green Zone training by the end of next semester. “Over the summer, when it’s a little bit less hectic, we can start pushing it out to the different organizations and to the actual classrooms,” he said.
RESEARCH
Professor partners University with Los Alamos National Laboratory By SARAH GIBSON Campus Writer
Daniel Tauritz, associate professor of computer science and software engineering, is helping facilitate a partnership between Auburn University and Los Alamos National Laboratory. He was recently appointed as a guest scientist for LANL. LANL is a government-funded research and development center that solves problems with national security through various scientific means. LANL performs experiments in multiple divisions of the government, including research in energy and environmental management, science and national security. Tauritz plans to expand Auburn’s Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering program by developing this relationship with LANL, which will expand Auburn’s research program to aid in the resolution of the national security issues that LANL is given to solve. “The establishment of a long-
term relationship between Auburn University and Los Alamos National Laboratory is a unique opportunity to complement Auburn’s existing Department of Defense national security portfolio,” Tauritz said. “LANL’s focus on fundamental science will infuse Auburn’s cyber curricula and research program with both academic rigor and the latest technologies in the field.” Tauritz’s career with LANL has included many cybersecurity assignments that introduce artificial intelligence in solving problems with national security. He became a part of Auburn University’s staff in August 2019 as the chief cyber artificial intelligence strategist of the Cyber Research Center and as an associate professor. He directs many projects in his Biomimetic Artificial Intelligence Research Group that he founded at Auburn. These projects solve issues through the development of innovative artificial intelligent technologies. “The recruiting pipeline from
Auburn to LANL will significantly impact the nation’s advanced cyber workforce, and the exchange of ideas between Auburn faculty and LANL scientists will promote innovation in fundamental research and developments efforts in national security,” Tauritz said. “The specific focus on developing novel artificial intelligence approaches for solving hard adversarial problems and to automate the design of algorithms to solve complex cyber problems will position Auburn as a rider in AI for national security.” Tauritz is working to create career opportunities for students through extending LANL programs, which would include summer internships, workshops and funding research for graduate and undergraduate students. Tauritz is also trying to bring LANL and S&T Cyber Security Sciences Institute to Auburn’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. He wants to have the Biomimetic National Security Artificial Intelligence lab established at Auburn to facilitate him in conducting this research.
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“The classes are all picked for them because they’re learning how to transition to college life without their parents, without their caretakers,” she said. Patten said they plan to expand on the variety of classes offered going forward with the four-year plan, although they have not quite worked out all of the logistics. “They’ll have a lot of choice. That’s the goal — to increase our partnerships with other colleges and schools on campus,” she said. On inclusivity, Patten said it is important to make the EAGLES students feel like part of the student body as much as possible. “Doing something with a group of people who are considered a ‘typical student’ is not inclusion,” she said. “Inclusion is having every opportunity to
engage in the same activities that traditional students would engage in naturally.” Patten said she is humbled by the support EAGLES has received from the University and the community’s willingness to be involved. “The Auburn Family has just truly embraced the program,” she said. “We have a student who is a part of AU Singers. I see [the program] naturally branching out into some of those more selective-type programs where naturally, it’s competitive.” Because of personal life experiences, Patten said she works every day to promote the program and provide students with as many opportunities as possible. “I feel like I was born an advocate, born in a way that I just speak up for injustice and things that happen,” she said. “Primarily, it’s been targeted toward people who need help speaking up for themselves.”
community THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
6 THEPLAINSMAN.COM
COMMUNITY
GOVERNMENT
Council postpones vote on private dormitory By CORY BLACKMON Community Reporter
The Auburn City Council postponed a vote to Dec. 3, on a resolution for conditional use approval to construct a private dormitory on Armstrong Street. A private dormitory is like an apartment but is generally a building not owned by the University that is intended to house students. Council approval of the project is required because City zoning laws require approval of private dormitories in the Urban Neighborhood–South zone, which is where this development lies. The Council originally tabled this resolution at its Oct. 15 meeting so that Council members would have more time to learn about the project. Since that October meeting, developers of the private dormitory agreed to go through the voluntary Downtown Design Review process. The Downtown Design Review Board will now host meetings to discuss the private project. Council members tabled the vote to Decem-
ber to allow for the project to go through the Downtown Design Review process. During the Committee of the Whole meeting, which preceeds each City Council meeting, the City Council voted to ask City staff to begin research on impact fees and what implementing them would mean for Auburn. Impact fees are fees the City would impose on a new or proposed development to cover the expenses of providing public services to that development. Mayor Ron Anders said that he personally doesn’t support impact fees, saying the fees, “send the wrong message to developers.” The Council voted 5 to 4 in favor to ask City staff to research impact fees and provide the Council with information on what those would look like in Auburn. Ward 8 Council member Tommy Dawson also pitched the idea of conducting a feasibility study to determine the practicality of building a new police precinct on South College Street. “I think we’re getting big enough that we need a full-time presence of police down there,” Daw-
son said. “I would like the city manager to look into it with staff and see how much it would cost.” The Council voted to discuss commissioning a feasibilty study at a later meeting. According to the Council ePacket, a contract will provide aerial photography which produces elevation models, hydrography, building footprints and street layouts for the municipalities involved. “The aerial photography is used extensively to locate, identify and measure City assets and to aid in the City’s growth, infrastructure, and Public Safety planning efforts,” the ePacket states. The City of Auburn, Lee County, the City of Opelika and Auburn University will contribute to the total $504,716 price tag of the project. The Council also approved the purchase of fire reporting software, fire alerting equipment and two new trucks for the Public Safety Department’s Fire Division. This equipment, along with the new breathing apparatus and bunker gear that were ap-
proved in October, will go toward updating the Fire Division’s equipment. The Council also approved local sales tax exemption for specified items for 2020’s Severe Weather Preparedness Tax Holiday. The holiday, which will begin Friday, Feb. 21, and last through Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. The tax holiday will serve to encourage citizens to purchase emergency gear and equipment for use during severe weather situations. Anders said as a community that isn’t even a year removed from the tornadoes that tore through the Auburn area, it is important for people to be mindful of the items they might need in an emergency. “When you need a flashlight, usually you’re in a position where you can’t go find one,” Anders said. “It’s just an opportunity to be mindful that we live in a part of the country that our weather can be dramatic.” The holiday covers a wide array of items, from flashlights to radios to first-aid kits, as long as each item is $60 or less.
INCLUSION
Traveling photography exhibit aims to include community By ELIZABETH HURLEY Community Editor
The Auburn Public Library was filled with smiles and expressions of appreciation as Bravehearts kicked off the tour of their annual photography exhibit. Members spent the past months taking photos to display at the traveling exhibit. Expressions of a Braveheart, or Bravehearts, is a fine arts program for young adults with disabilities. Auburn University students and faculty help put on the program. This is the third year the organization has put together the exhibit. “Usually in October it comes to the [Auburn] Public Library and that’s where it starts,” said volunteer and masters in social work student Gabrielle Boroden. “The last one is in July and that’s going to be the State Capitol. In between those people can request it and have it at different places.” Work on this year’s exhibit began in May before last year’s exhibit finished its tour. The exhibit with more than 90 photos will travel to different locations in the state. “I helped organize them into categories [for the exhibit],” Boroden said. “Some of the categories are kind of symbolic, like there’s one that’s the path to community and it’s all of the pictures of paths.”
Bravehearts participants took the photos with the help of volunteers. Staff members then selected the photos for the exhibit. Volunteer and masters in social work student Kayla Thompson said putting on the exhibit each year allows the participants to explore their talents, which is one of the goals of the program. “The exhibit itself is meant to be an opportunity to display that talent they have and, of course, it’s more of a community inclusion piece,” Thompson said. Part of Bravehearts mission is inclusion. The photography project and exhibit is a way to incorporate that into their daily activities as volunteers and participants take photos together. This year, program directors wanted to spread the inclusion message beyond the planning stages of the exhibit. Bravehearts invited community and University organizations to partner up and visit the exhibit. “It’s a way to engage people in the community that maybe would otherwise not engage with each other while having this experience of coming into contact with our organization,” Thompson said. “It’s all about connection and inclusion.” Bravehearts participants hosted the organizations and showed them the various photographs in the exhibit. Visitors were also treated to another addition
GOVERNMENT
Ward meetings intend to help communities By SYDNEY SIMS Community Writer
While City Council meetings offer residents an opportunity to address Mayor Ron Anders and the eight members of the Council, citizens also have opportunities outside of the biweekly Counil meetings. Council members hold ward meetings, which have been held in Auburn since 2014, to discuss ward-related issues with constituents of the eight wards in Auburn. Council members conduct those meetings at their own discretion. Ward 2 Council Member Kelley Griswold holds monthly meetings to create an arena for conversation. “I think it shows I have a legitimate concern for what goes on in our community,” Griswold said. “It helps me gauge the community and hear from the citizens what they feel is a concern.” Social media plays a major role in getting the word out about the meetings, he said. “I typically post notices about Ward 2 meetings on Facebook and the Nextdoor app,” Griswold said. “The City also posts an e-notice about the meeting on their meeting schedule, which is available online.” Griswold said he likes to keep his community engaged by inviting guest speakers to the meetings. Griswold has had members of the local government, such as Assistant City Manager Megan McGowen Crouch, appear at ward meetings. “Sometimes, it’s easier for the citizens to understand aspects of
government when they hear it from those in the positions,” Griswold said. “I try to get speakers as much as the City can send someone down.” Griswold, who said he sees a steady crowd of 30 to 40 citizens monthly, said he thinks the public has given great feedback about the ward meetings. Ward 3 Council Member Beth Witten has taken a different approach to ward meetings. She hosts them when there is an issue necessary for public discussion. “Ward meetings are an opportunity to touch base in person,” Witten said. “They help create an interpersonal relationship between myself and the constituents, allowing the communication of the wants, desires and needs for Ward 3.” Though they are not regularly scheduled, Witten said she sees familiar faces in every meeting, which 30 to 40 people regularly attend. In addition to Facebook and the Nextdoor app, Witten uses email and homeowner’s associations in Ward 3 neighborhoods as a way to get the word out about a meeting. While Witten receives positive feedback from ward meetings, she said some ward meetings may need better direction. “Ward meetings need to have a direction and purpose to make better use of our constituents time,” Witten said. Citizens can check for more information about upcoming meetings on the City of Auburn Facebook page and can also check the City’s website.
LOGAN ELLISON / PHOTOGRAPHER
Expressions of a Braveheart, or Bravehearts, is a fine arts program for young adults with disabilities.
to this year’s exhibit. Photographs had a QR code underneath. Viewers could scan the code on an app to find the video linked to the photo. In those videos, participants talked about the photo, giving details on how they captured it and why they chose to take it. “There was a lot of work put into making
ENROLLMENT » From 1
compared to residents or visitors, Crouch said. Thus, the effect on tax revenue of halting student population growth at the University would be difficult to determine. Auburn City Manager Jim Buston said that while a stagnation in student population growth — which in turn dictates the growth, or lack thereof, in faculty and staff — is projected to have a slightly negative effect on future tax revenue, it’s one of a staggering amount of factors, a drop in the bucket. “The enrollment being capped, if we assume there won’t be a dramatic increase in the number of professors or the number of support staff … that is somewhat of a negative,” Buston said. However, having a more rigidly defined student population will also have its perks. “On the other hand, when we are allowed to get some confidence in where the University is going, that allows the local government to make plans with some certainty, knowing where that student population is going to go,” Buston said. Basically, keeping the student population at or around 25,000 would seriously reduce the need for any guesswork on the student population front for the City. But some business owners have informed their decisions on that guesswork. A number of student housing developers have built huge complexes in downtown Auburn based on those guesses. One of the most weighty pieces of research that the City and private developers used to analyze the condition of the student housing market in Auburn was the Danter Report. The Danter Report was conducted by Danter & Associates, a national consulting firm, in 2013, 2015 and 2018. The first two iterations of the report looked optimistic for real estate devel-
it a very interactive, welcoming experience,” Thompson said. Participants love sharing their artwork and talking with guests about it, Thompson said. “I feel like there’s a sense of pride there,” Thompson said. “It’s definitely a very rewarding experience. I think it’s mutually beneficial.”
opers; it painted a picture of a student housing market that was ready to let some additional players into the game. “The Danter Report is based on the data that we were being given at the time from the University, that they were going to grow the University population, the undergraduate population substantially,” Buston explained. “And so, if you are a developer … and you’re looking at [the Danter Report] and seeing that the University is going to grow 500 or more students per year, that’s a complex. Every year is a new complex.” Those new complexes came. Among them, 191 College, West & Wright and The Standard. “And it’s just been recently that the University has backtracked on that,” Buston said. For some players in the student housing industry, news of this proposed plan may have come too late. Ray Huff is the owner of Auburn Realty, a local student housing real estate company that owns several properties around the City, most of which are near campus. Huff has lived in Auburn since he graduated from the University and has been in the real estate industry since 1979. Huff, who ventured into Auburn student housing in 1996, said that the student housing market is oversaturated — to an extent he has never seen before. The City’s Student Housing Task Force Report, released in October 2019, states that there are 36,508 bedrooms of off-campus student housing. While the report did not measure vacancy rates in student housing complexes around the City, Huff believes it to be quite high. Van Northcutt of Northcutt Realty, a local student housing real estate company, also believes the market has a high vacancy rate. And if the student base does not grow, and the excess rooms are not absorbed, Huff predicts that vacancy won’t decrease. “The effect of capping enrollment is
going to create a larger and larger vacancy rate,” Huff said. “There’s going to be more product available, and we’re gonna have the same amount of users to fill that product up.” When property goes unused, it devalues very quickly, which Huff predicts will cause rent to fall in many complexes. “I envision prices to come down this year … in some places, hold in others,” Huff said. “You certainly aren’t going up any in this market.” And while the graduate student enrollment is planned to increase under the potential policy, Mittal said grad students are not likely to fill all of these vacant rooms. “As a quick assumption, I would say most housing that has developed recently downtown, they are all filled by undergraduates,” Mittal said. Graduate students are typically more scrupulous in their spending and often support themselves financially, which makes staying in expensive locations less feasible, Mittal said. To fill rooms in his properties, Huff has already started dropping rent prices and foregoing security deposits, a practice he calls, “not good business practice at all,” but one that he says many complexes in Auburn have started doing in order to draw in potential residents. Falling rent prices, which benefits students, places a burden on many owners of student housing properties in the City. Times like these can make it hard for Huff’s company, and others like his, to sustain itself. “If rent goes down then our fees go down, and we have less money to cover our bills with,” Huff said. “It makes it very difficult to operate.” Tough times have hit Huff, as well as other owners, in the past, but this may be different. Similar overdevelopment took place in Auburn from 2001 to 2004, Huff recalls, and it took a toll on his business. “We’ve all weathered the storms,” Huff said. “But this one’s gonna be the hardest one of all, I can tell you that.”
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
The Auburn Plainsman
PAGE 7
POLICE
Opelika Police receives award for work on found-girl case By FIELDER HAGAN Community Writer
The story of Baby Jane Doe goes back to January of 2012 when the skeletal remains of a little girl between the ages of 3 and 7 years old were found in the woods near a trailer park in Opelika, Alabama. Her height, weight and eye color were not able to be determined, but her hair was mid-length in short, tight curls. A pink long sleeve shirt with heart-shaped buttons and ruffles around the neckline were found near her remains, but it was unclear if it belonged to the child. Not much is known about the girl other than her estimated age and race, but detectives at the Opelika Police Department have worked each day since her discovery to shed light on the situation. Capt. Jonathon Clifton and Lt. Bob Hester are two of the primary detectives that worked alongside Capt. Shane Healey on the case. “This case has been and will be a priority for us until it is solved,” Hester said. “We will stay motivated to give justice to Baby Jane Doe.” There is a $20,000 reward in place for anyone with any information about the identification of
the little girl. “We have been working this case for years and we will continue to work this case diligently for as long as it takes,” Clifton said. “We are determined to get answers. We are determined to find out Jane Doe’s real name, and we are determined to do whatever it takes to solve this case.” On Oct. 17, the Opelika Police Department received a plaque from Alexis Meniefield, an Opelika citizen. This plaque commemorated each member of the team that has worked on this case. “It was very humbling to receive the plaque,” Clifton said. “We are all personally touched by this heartbreaking case and to have the community’s support is great. Receiving the plaque meant so much to us.” To see that the public still cares about Baby Jane Doe as much as the police department does, after seven years, meant a lot to him, Hester said. The immense support from the community inspired both Hester and Clifton, they said, to build morale and continue working so diligently towards justice. “We have a great community in the Auburn-Opelika area,” Clifton said. “They have always been supportive, and it’s truly a blessing. The community drives us to work harder and to
JOSHUA FISHER / PHOTOGRAPHER
Opelika Police Department is still working to identify Baby Jane Doe.
get answers they so desperately need. We are so thankful for the good citizens of Opelika.” Each of the officers agreed that the award was greatly appreciated. “Law enforcement is often a thankless job and
most of us accept that fact when we enter the profession,” Hester said. “However, community appreciation has a positive effect on us and encourages us to continue to work hard for the community we serve.”
HEALTHCARE
Healthcare to hit the road in Opelika with renovated clinic bus By CHARLIE RAMO Community Writer
The City of Opelika has partnered with East Alabama Medical Center and Auburn University to provide health care to underserved parts of the Opelika community. The city is providing a bus and retrofitting it to serve as a medical resource. EAMC will provide medical services from the bus. “The Tiger Transit Company donated the bus,” said Joey Motley, Opelika city administrator. “The city has raised contributions from local churches and organizations to retrofit the bus into a mobile clinic.” Remodeling the bus will cost about $200,000, and it will be leased to the EAMC for $1 per year. The City of Opelika will provide the bus, maintenance and a driver, Motley said.
“We’ve had buy-in from Sunday school classes with a few hundred dollars, to the two dollars [individual donations], to the large donations from foundations,” Motley said. Many different organizations have donated. The Housing Authority gave $60,000, the Opelika Rotary Club gave $35,000, Golden State Foods gave $25,000, BVA Bank gave $10,000 and Auburn Bank gave $10,000, Motley said. The bus is undergoing renovations in Greensboro, North Carolina, and should be in operation in the spring, Motley said. The bus will have a generator, two exam areas with full exam tables, an office, a restroom and storage space. Caregivers will be able to perform basic health-care services inside the bus. “Many of the details are still being ironed out, but we hope to be operational by late
spring of 2020,” said Michael Barlow, population health manager at EAMC. “We will equip it and staff it for the perceived needs of the community, but these services could evolve over time.” This project is similar to one in Gainesville, Florida, in which the city partnered with the University of Florida College of Medicine to create a bus that serves a similar purpose. “We have a site visit to [Gainesville], Florida in a few weeks where we have heard great things about a mobile bus system they have in place,” said Michael Barlow, population health manager with EAMC. “We hope to glean some ideas from them on how best to be effective and efficient while providing high-quality compassionate health care.” EAMC’s first priority is to cover underserved areas, Barlow said. They will look to
expand covered areas and provide relevant services to better provide for the community. “It will be free if you don’t have any [insurance] coverage,” Motley said. “Of course, if you have insurance, they’ll take an insurance card, but if you don’t have insurance, you can go to the clinic and get treatment.” The bus is expected to serve Wards 1 and 2 in Opelika, though coverage can change and expand. When looking for places to expand, the city will look to include areas that have problems with transportation, low income or similar issues, Motley said. “You can try to improve the quality of life of citizens, and this is a very needed service in certain areas of our city,” Motley said. “[The fact] we were able to do it without any taxpayers’ dollars being involved speaks volumes for the kind of community that we have.”
APARTMENTS » From 1
as property values decrease. Subsequently, rent rates drop and property managers often struggle financially. “Large private dorms” is a term that the City of Auburn and independent market researchers have introduced into the City’s list of technical housing jargon. Large private dorms are defined as apartment complexes where residents overwhelmingly are undergraduates. According to the University’s website, Auburn currently houses around 65% of its 6,200 freshmen students on campus. That leaves approximately 2,170 freshmen with little option but to live off campus — often in one of these large scale, highly compressed units. The statistics do show a need for private developers to accommodate housing requirements unmet by the University, but Huff thinks these numerous developments are an overcompensation. “All of the reports that I’m hearing; the only one [of the apartments with over 450 beds] that may be close to 100% full would be 191 College,” Huff said. Some owners are suspicious of the occupancy rates reported by these large apartment complexes because there is an economic incentive to appear healthier. Banks generally offer better loan rates to developers that have high occupancy rates. The corporations behind the occupancy rates aren’t lying, however. Huff described a way the market is made to appear healthier than it actually is, which takes advantage of two different ways of determining occupancy: physical occupancy and economic occupancy. An apartment reaches full physical occupancy when there is one person in each bedroom unit. For example, take a four-bedroom apartment at a large complex. If four individuals live in this four-bedroom apartment, the unit has attained physical occupancy because all rooms are physically occupied. Economic occupancy compares the possible amount of rent that could be received to the actual amount paid by residents. When determining economic occupancy,
SAM LANKFORD / COMMUNITY WRITER
191 College and West & Wright are two of the new large private dorms constructed in downtown Auburn, Ala.
if only one of the four rooms in a four-bedroom unit is filled, the unit can be considered full. Forrest Cotten, the planning director for the City of Auburn, also holds reservations about estimating a market’s health based on occupancy rates. “Reported occupancy rates have always been a point of contention because you’re basically relying on the honesty of the person reporting the information,” Cotten said. The managers who report occupancy rates often rely on banks or corporate bureaucracy who will cooperate only under seemingly profitable conditions, which incentivizes these complexes to report statistics that reflect favorably on the property. Despite the covering up of true occupancy rates, Cotten isn’t ready to totally dismiss the self-reports provided by the companies. “Everyone that criticizes it can’t do any better a job of getting their arms around it than what we’ve tried to accomplish through the Danter Report,” Cotten said. The Danter Report was a market analysis of Auburn student housing conducted by an independent
research and consulting firm called Danter & Associates. The Danter Report is a separate report from the one produced by the Student Housing Task Force. The most recent report conducted in 2018 concluded that, if developed within walking distance of the University, apartments in the Auburn market could be absorbed at roughly 300 to 400 beds per year in the short term. In 2019 alone, The Standard and 191 College have added 683 and 495 beds to the market respectively, well exceeding the number that can currently be absorbed. The Plainsman reached out to Landmark Properties, the owner of The Standard, for comment on occupancy rates. Landmark is a large, national student housing developer from Athens, Georgia, with properties all around the country. Cody Nichelson, a spokesman for the company, declined to share The Standard’s occupancy rates but said that any business decision made was carefully executed. “We do not build new developments if we don’t think there’s a need, demand and interest in them, or if we don’t think there’s a chance
for us to succeed in the community,” Nichelson said in an email statement. American Campus, the national developer based out of Austin, Texas that also owns property across the country, is the owner of 160 Ross and 191 College. The developer responded similarly: “We have developed two properties in the Auburn market over the last five years, one in 2015 containing 642 beds and one in 2019 containing 495 beds, both of which were conceived over several years to ensure they would meet students’ needs and be well absorbed into the local purpose-built student housing stock.” It’s difficult to know for certain the true extent of Auburn’s market saturation because accurate occupancy rates are often withheld and company spokespeople are not third-party analysts. Cotten said there won’t be any more large-scale developments downtown because recently-passed City ordinances do not allow further construction of large private dorms in downtown proper. “The ones that you see under construction actually date as far back to
before that regulation went into place, therefore, they were grandfathered in under the old regulations,” Cotten said. The recent additions of 320 West Mag and The Union on West Glenn Avenue were allowed to be constructed because they do not lie within downtown proper. “I do believe that more quickly than we anticipated, we are approaching a threshold where we need to be very vigilant about how much more supply we can bring online given what’s been built,” Cotten said. If things don’t change, more problems may arise. “What we don’t want to do is flip that threshold and begin to head down a path where we’re going to have issues with over-saturation,” Cotten said. Residents and developers have each voiced complaints about the continual housing development in the City, and City government is searching for a way to resolve this contentious issue. “There are going to be some tough decisions that City Council is going to have to make on how they want to move forward,” Buston said.
sports
8
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
THEPLAINSMAN.COM
SPORTS
BASKETBALL
‘It was going to be a dog fight’ Auburn men’s hoops holds off Ga. Southern in opener By SUMNER MARTIN Assistant Sports Editor
MARIE LIPSKI / PHOTO EDITOR
J’Von McCormick (5) dribbles during Auburn vs. Eckerd on Nov. 1, 2019, in Auburn, Ala.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said earlier in the week Georgia Southern wouldn’t be an everyday, non-conference season opener, but instead a “handful” for his newlook Tigers. That sentiment rang true Tuesday night. No. 24 Auburn downed Georgia Southern 83-74, behind Samir Doughty’s 20 points and four steals, in a sloppy season opener for both teams. Auburn turned the ball over 21 times and knocked down just seven 3-pointers. “This was one of the most challenging scouts for an opening game that I’ve had in a long time,” Pearl said postgame of preparing for this Eagles team. Auburn had trouble getting separation from Georgia Southern on the scoreboard early in the contest, due in large part to mental mistakes and turnovers. The Tigers had 13 of the 21 turnovers in the first half which turned into 17 Georgia Southern points. “We didn’t expect to come in here and blow these guys out,” Doughty said. “They’re an older team. We talked about it all week. We knew it was going to be a dog fight.” The Tigers, with their brand new Final Four banner hanging from the exteri-
or of Auburn Arena, battled back and forth with the Eagles for the better part of the night, never quite being able to pull away completely. Doughty, who led all scorers with 20 points on 6-of10 shooting, iced the game late making five of his last six free throws in the final minutes after Georgia Southern had trimmed the lead to single digits. Doughty played some point guard as well as 2-guard. “Samir made plays,” Pearl said. “Not afraid. A lot of ways, helped win the ballgame for us, because he makes plays, offensively and defensively. It’s good to have him on the ball.” Auburn finished 18-of-25 (72%) from the free-throw line, with Doughty going 7-for-9 himself from the strike. After an up-and-down first half in which the Tigers struggled to find consistency, they took a commanding 61-48 lead eight minutes into the second half when Doughty’s steal and subsequent layup, as well as Danjel Purifoy’s 3-pointer, capped a 10-3 run. Purifoy added 13 points, nine of them coming from beyond the arc, and Austin Wiley led the team in boards, grabbing nine rebounds and finishing with 13 points of his own. Auburn outrebounded
GSU, 41-27. Freshman Isaac Okoro scored 12 points and had five rebounds in his college debut, and newly appointed starting point guard, J’Von McCormick, rebounded from his less than stellar first half scoring nine points and adding four assists. McCormick and Wiley did, however, combine for nine of the team’s 21 turnovers. Pearl noted earlier this month that defensive rotations were going to be a working progress with all of the moving pieces of a new team, with veterans and youngsters alike, playing in new roles. The Eagles exposed just that, driving inside early and often, scoring 42 points in the paint against Pearl’s squad. “They were quicker at every position, and they were really good at driving downhill,” Pearl said. “So guys gave them too many direct-line drives, didn’t compete to stay in front, and as a result they had their way with us. We are able to do a lot of things defensively to cover up some of those challenges, but not against a smaller, quicker team.” Auburn will face Davidson next at the Veterans Classic in Annapolis, Maryland, on Friday before facing South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama, next Tuesday in Auburn’s third game in a week.
BASKETBALL
CAT WOFFORD / AUBURN ATHLETICS
Daisa Alexander (0) drives to the hoop during Auburn vs. Texas A&M on Jan. 24, 2019, in Auburn, Ala.
Women’s hoops relying on newcomers By JAKE WEESE Sports Reporter
Auburn Athletics as a whole this season will be defined by the play of its freshmen — a freshman quarterback, freshmen pitchers for baseball and a freshman point guard for Auburn women’s basketball. With all of these crucial positions being played by newcomers, that can provide extra stress to the already stressful life as an SEC coach. Auburn baseball coach Butch Thompson and women’s basketball coach Terri Williams-Flournoy discussed the impact of freshmen this year on the various teams at a bowling tournament this past weekend, she said. “As a head coach, you don’t sleep much when you’re thinking about it because it’s such a crucial position for your team,” Williams-Flournoy said. Coach Flo said she may lose some more
sleep over the next few weeks, as not only does she have to get a freshman point guard ready for the season, but she also has to get them healthy to play. Lauren Hansen and Sania Wells, both freshmen recruited to play point guard, are out with injuries along with guard Robyn Benton, leaving Auburn to search its roster for a solution to the point guard problem. Daisa Alexander, Auburn’s lone senior, was announced by Williams-Flournoy as Auburn’s starting point guard for the first game against Wofford. Coach Flo said she is is grateful for Alexander stepping up to take on the challenge. “Our freshmen have been hurt and getting back in,” Williams-Flournoy said. “I think it’s great that our senior, our only senior has decided to step up and take on this opportunity — and much needed for this program to be the point guard.” Alexander started every game last season but played at the 2-guard next to three-year
starter Janiah McKay. While McKay primarily distributed the ball, Alexander was used as a scoring option. Her new role will be to distribute more. The rest of the starting lineup for the first game against Wofford was announced as well. Alexander will run the point with sophomore Brooke Moore at the 2, freshman Annie Hughes at the 3, redshirt sophomore Kiyae’ White at the 4 and junior Unique Thompson at the 5. Hughes was named the 2019 Alabama Miss Basketball and the 2019 Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year in her senior year of high school. “It’s a huge deal, I thought she was going to jump out of her shoes when we told her, Williams-Flournoy said. “Annie loves Auburn, just absolutely loves Auburn. You start talking about Auburn, she’ll get all teary eyed and everything. She appreciates this opportunity, she’s so excited about this opportunity and she’s going to give us everything she’s
got at the top of press.” The lineup is unorthodox for now, but Coach Flo is hoping to have some normalcy in the coming weeks. “I think probably in about another week or so,” Williams-Flournoy said. “It’ll get better and hopefully get everyone back to their natural positions.” Behind Alexander as the backup point guard for now is freshman Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu. Robinson-Nwagwu is described as more of a 2-guard by Coach Flo, and her position could change with players coming back. “We’re young, but we have a lot to offer,” Alexander said. “We have a lot of different pieces and Morgan — the backup point guard is going to surprise a lot of people.” Following its season opener against Wofford on Wednesday inside Auburn Arena, the Tigers will wait more than a week for their next game against Old Dominion next Thursday at home.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
The Auburn Plainsman
FOOTBALL
PAGE 9 FOOTBALL
Auburn No. 11 in 1st CFP rankings By JONATHAN HART Sports Writer
In the first edition of the 2019 College Football Playoff rankings, the Auburn Tigers came in at No. 11 with a 7-2 record. Released Tuesday night on ESPN, the CFP has placed the Tigers as the second highest-ranked two-loss team in the country behind No. 10 Florida. The ranking is Auburn’s
highest since 2017. Current FPI projections show the Tigers have a 17.1% chance of winning out, and according to FiveThirtyEight, they currently have a 3% chance of going to the College Football Playoff in January. This projection takes into account the Tigers remaining games against No. 6 Georgia and No. 3 Alabama later in November inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.
WEEK 11 CFP TOP 25
CAT WOFFORD / AUBURN ATHLETICS
1. Ohio State
14. Michigan
2. LSU
15. N. Dame
3. Alabama
16. K-State
4. Penn State
17. Minnesota
5. Clemson
18. Iowa
6. Georgia
19. Wake
7. Oregon
20. Cincinatti
8. Utah
21. Memphis
9. Oklahoma
22. Boise St.
10. Florida
23. Okla St.
11. Auburn
24. Navy
12. Baylor
25. SMU
13. Wisconsin
Bo Nix (10) carries during Auburn vs. Ole Miss on Nov. 2, 2019, in Auburn, Ala.
Offense showing ‘sparks’
P
Tigers posting big yardage, little points By JAKE WEESE Sports Reporter
In a performance that saw Auburn put up 507 yards of total offense, the Tigers showed that the offense could regroup following the loss at LSU. It was far from perfect though as Auburn managed to just put up just 20 points on the scoreboard. At the end of the night, Auburn walked away with the 20-14 win over Ole Miss and now has a bye week to prepare for the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry against No. 6 Georgia. While struggling to put points on the board, Auburn regained some offensive confidence after an up-anddown stretch of four road games. Auburn’s leading receiver on the night, Anthony Schwartz, thought even a little bit of confidence was important for Auburn moving forward. “It gives us a lot of confidence, because we know we can move the ball through the air,” Schwartz said. “We
know what we can do. It just helps us grow more. We still have a lot of to improve, of course, but this just gives us a lot of confidence moving forward.” Schwartz had a career-high nine receptions for 89 yards in the win. Auburn showed that it can move the ball through the air as Nix had 340 passing yards on the day — also a career-high. Schwartz, Seth Williams and Eli Stove all had over 40 receiving yards on the night. The offense struggled finding the end zone against Ole Miss, as six of Auburn’s 13 drives ending in Ole Miss territory did not result in points. That was not including the game sealing interception by Christian Tutt which was returned into Ole Miss territory. Senior H-Back Jay Jay Wilson knows there is work to be done offensively but saw glimmers of what Auburn can do and what it needs to work on for the bye week. Wilson finished the game with two receptions for 47 yards.
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“I feel like that’s the biggest focus, it’s not if we can do things cause obviously we showed sparks that we can be a great offense, that we can be an explosive offense. It’s more so being consistent,” Wilson said. “That just comes with work, comes with experience and we’re gonna keep working on that. Keep moving forward.” Even without loads of points to show for it, Wilson was encouraged by the fact that Auburn won the time of possession, especially after some defensive injuries against LSU. Defensive lineman Marlon Davidson missed the game against Ole Miss with a lower back injury, and safety Jeremiah Dinson missed with a virus. “I mean it felt good. It always feels good to make big plays,” Wilson said. “It’s always great to be able to get out there and get drives going so our defense can get time to rest, get time to gather themselves so they can keep playing amazing how they have been playing all year.”
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WEEK 11 PLAINSMAN PICK ‘EM LSU-Alabama
Nathan King Sports editor (43-22)
Sumner Martin Asst. sports editor (40-25)
Jake Weese Sports reporter (40-25)
Jonathan Hart Sports writer
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Evan Mealins Asst. community editor
Carl No. 1 Bama fan (28-30)
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lifestyle THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
11 THEPLAINSMAN.COM
LIFESTYLE
ENTERTAINMENT
CONTRIBUTED BY JOHNATHON OSBORNE
Circus performers during the show on Oct. 30, in Auburn, Ala.
‘Cirque Mechanics’ debuts at Gogue Performing Arts Center By LYDIA MCMULLEN Lifestyle Writer
“42FT” — A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels is no ordinary circus. This performance, is the reimagination of a traditional circus put on by Cirque Mechanics, a California-based production company specializing in machinery and circus acrobatics. While there were no live tigers or elephants, the performance was full of acrobats, contortionists, jugglers and strongmen that kept the audience laughing and clapping for two acts. The show combined elements of storytelling and mechanical gadgetry with all of the fan-favorite circus acts to deliver a new take on the conventional circus. Cirque Mechanics made its debut in Auburn on Wednesday, Oct. 30, unveiling its circus performance with a twist to a soldout audience at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center, ending the night with a standing ovation. John Hinson, an accountant in Birmingham, said his experience was “fantastic” and that “the show was very funny.”
Cirque Mechanics was founded in 2004 by Chris Lashua, a Boston native with creative and engineering experience working with Cirque du Soleil, Circus Center of San Francisco and BMX. The set design for Lashua’s current show involves a 42-foot ring rigged with equipment necessary to pull off a trapeze performance, rotating ladder, tight-rope walking and more. Rebecca Gibson, an employee in the department of outreach at Auburn University was particularly impressed by the acrobatic performers. “The strength that all of these athletes have is astounding,” Gibson said. Cirque Mechanics performance was Gibson’s first visit to the Gogue Center. Gibson said she was impressed by the building and its ability to incorporate acts like this. She said she looks forward to future events held at the Gogue Performing Arts Center The show invites its audience to step into the circus world by revealing the talents of the circus performers and life outside the circus. The performance incorporates the sto-
ry of a poor man in pedestrian clothes who is unassociated with the circus, but eagerly peers over a prop fence at the performance and hangs posters advertising the event. This clown-like character, played by Justin Therrien, entertained the audience with short interruptions from the regular circus acts with his miming, juggling and trumpet-playing talents. Tracy Newell, coordinator of communications, marketing and events for the provost at Auburn University, said Therrien’s performance was her favorite of the night and she especially enjoyed Therrien’s ability to involve the crowd. “He was energetic, fun and intriguing,” Newell said. In the first act, Therrien pulled an audience member, Jay Harris, an HR Manager at Donaldson Company, onto the stage to join him and engage in a humorous skit. Harris said he was unaware that he would be pulled into the show, but it was fun nonetheless. Harris attended the show with his wife and children. “They were a little embarrassed, but they
thought it was funny,” Harris said. This show is just one of 27 shows set to perform at the GPAC this season, said Jonthan Osborne, director of marketing and communications for GPAC. “We’ve had a lot of shows sell out before the public even has a chance to purchase tickets,” Osborne said. The GPAC has hosted performers such as Renée Fleming, who has been awarded the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama, a cabaret performance by two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster and DIAVOLO: Architecture in Motion, a Los Angeles-based dance company. “Fans of theatre and lovers of performance art do not have to worry if they have missed these shows, however,” Osborne said. “There is still a long list of upcoming shows for this season, such as the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Waitress, The Beach Boys, tap dance company Dorrance Dance and many more.” Osborne anticipates a growth of theater and art appreciation in the future with the presence of the GPAC in Auburn.
FEE
BUSINESS
» From 1
FILE PHOTO
One of the bars in the John Emerald Distilling Company in Opelika, Ala.
Local distillery serves the community By CAROLINE RICE Lifestyle Writer
In 1907, the period of Prohibition began in Alabama and distillers were forced into hiding. Whiskey was made undercover and illegally until 2015, when John Emerald Distilling Company opened in Opelika. This company said it was the first distiller of whiskey in Alabama after Prohibition was lifted. Jimmy Sharp, the grandson of John Emerald, is the head distiller and co-founder of the distillery. John Emerald Distilling Company is named after John Emerald, Jimmy’s grandfather and John’s dad. Emerald “took his father’s tobacco and candy business to new heights,” and the Sharps found it fitting to name their distillery after this hardwork-
ing man. “It was always a dream of mine and my father’s, John Sharp, to open a distillery,” Jimmy Sharp said. “We first tried to open one in Montgomery, where we lived at the time, but soon found that Opelika offered a better space to start our company.” The distillery was set to open in fall 2014 in an old cotton warehouse in downtown Opelika. Before the John Emerald Distilling Company opened its doors, Jimmy Sharp was becoming familiar with the distilling business all over the globe, he said. “I traveled for a long time with my business, including across South America,” Sharp said. “I also managed to get an internship in Scotland, where I had the opportunity to get experience at a distillery there.”
When Jimmy learned that he was expecting a daughter, he knew that he wanted to settle down to watch her grow up. This led him back to Alabama, where he wanted to continue his career in the distillery business. John Emerald Distilling Company has hosted several bands, including Penny and Sparrow and The Brook and The Bluff. “We partner with Cotton Seat Studios, and they are responsible for booking those shows,” he said. “They have different avenues to get in contact with bigger bands, and they get these bands to route their tours through Opelika.” While the distilling company’s main focus is to produce spirits, they also host occasional private events, such as sorority and fraternity events, military parties and
birthday parties. Their most famous whiskey is John’s Alabama Single Malt Whiskey, also called Alabama’s Whiskey. It is made from 100% malted barley, and part of it is smoked with peach and pecan wood. John Emerald’s award-winning John’s Alabama Single Malt Whiskey now finds itself in five states around the South. “We add about one state to our list every year,” Sharp said. Tours through the distillery are offered, showing the entire distillery process. The community is able to see how the grains of barley are transformed into John Emerald’s whiskey. “We set out to make a topshelf whiskey that we and all of Alabama could be proud of, and I think we have done just that,” Sharp said.
usually looked over, Simpson said. “If you think about it, when you choose to go out to eat at a nice restaurant, you’re really going for the food and the dining experience, and yet it seems that the process has developed so that you can valet park your car, and that person may get a little tip appreciation,” he said. “You will probably get a beverage from the bar, and granted, they have a talent and a skill to make a good drink, but they’ll get something. Then you have a server that will get one. The only people that really don’t get a ‘thank’ you verbally very often or a tip appreciation is the person who is driving the customers to come to the restaurant.”
Some people have questioned why the establishments didn’t simply raise the prices of food items on the menu instead of adding the fee. According to Simpson though, that method would be a more “trickle-down” approach, and would require prices to go up a lot. Overall, the reviews for the culinary fee have been positive, he said. Looking toward the futures of The Hound and The Depot, Simpson said that he is hoping to continue to serve the Auburn community. “We’re really proud. We feel like we’re advancing the restaurant industry standard — not just in Auburn, but in the state of Alabama,” he said. “I think it will help the Auburn economy if we keep up this caliber of restaurant.”
CAMERON BRASHER / VIDEO EDITOR
Scott Simpson is the executive chef at The Depot
The Auburn Plainsman
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019
PAGE 12
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
CONTRIBUTED BY MADENEW JEWELRY
Student creates business using old, antique jewelry By MIRANDA SHAFFER Lifestyle Writer
For Mary Glenn Draper, senior in communications, jewelry is something more than just an add-on to an outfit, and that belief is clear through the message of her business, MadeNew. MadeNew is an independently run jewelry company where Draper takes antique, broken jewelry and combines it with her own pieces to make a variety of one-of-a-kind products. Draper’s idea for the business developed during her senior year of high school when her mother was going to throw out one of her grandmother’s old, broken bracelets. “I just thought to myself, ‘There is some-
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thing I can do with this; I don’t want this to be thrown away,’” Draper said. Draper opened her jewelry box and quickly realized which chains and pieces would work well with the colors and style of her grandmother’s broken bracelet. It was then she realized her eye for taking old things and revamping them into something special and new, she said. “Somebody sees this as trash, but I want to make this into something beautiful,” Draper said. The idea behind that first bracelet, taking something old and broken and making it new, is what inspired the name and message behind her business. Now, Draper creates products from any antique gem she can
get her hands on, always searching thrift stores and antique shops looking for pieces she knows will stand out, she said. “I will go all over, whether that’s states, neighborhoods with yard sales and estate sales, thrift stores, antique shops, and I will hunt everywhere to try to find the best piece,” Draper said. She said she particularly loves pieces from the 1930s as several of her products lean more towards the look of costume jewelry, when and bright, bold accessories, such as cameos, hair clips and glittering broaches, were all the rage. While many of the bracelets, watches and necklaces people will find at MadeNew are based around rare pieces Draper finds, her
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absolute favorite pieces to make are her special orders. Her favorite orders, she said, come from those customers who want sentimental pieces, such as family heirlooms, revitalized. “Those are my favorite orders because they mean something,” Draper said. “What inspires me the most is that I can take something that is seen as worthless and disregarded as waste and turn it into something that people will want and that is seen as special,” she said. Interested customers can look to the MadeNew business page on Facebook for a glimpse at Draper’s current and past products as well as all information regarding contacting her for special orders.
JOSHUA FISHER / PHOTOGRAPHER
Abbigail Hickey, Auburn Universitys campusPrint dietitian speaks with The PlainsDeadline: man on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018 in Auburn, NoonAla. three business days
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prior to publication.
FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 11, 2019
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Craftsy website 5 Regarding 10 Like a bug in a rug 14 “I understand now” 15 Crime boss John known as “The Teflon Don” 16 Letter before kappa 17 Spaghetti sauce brand 18 Composer Ned 19 Inside look at a hospital? 20 Sheepless nursery rhyme character 23 Clod chopper 24 Letter after kappa 28 Usain Bolt race pace 31 Bric-a-__ 33 Tokyo dough 34 Irish allegiance shout 36 British sports car, familiarly 37 Cold and damp 38 Many millennia 39 Auditioner’s goal 40 Over-easy item 41 End of a proverb embodied by three monkeys 45 Regret 46 __ legs: rear pair 47 Twins Ashley and Mary-Kate 48 Episodic story 50 WWII female 51 “Why are you laughing?” 58 Apple’s virtual assistant 61 Refill, as a partly drunk drink 62 Actress Falco 63 Day to beware 64 Make used (to) 65 Spy __ Hari 66 Milne’s “The House at __ Corner” 67 Police car warning 68 Scratches (out)
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By Kevin Christian
DOWN 1 Jimmy Carter’s middle name 2 Bangkok native 3 USAF NCO 4 Sarcastic “Could that be more obvious?” 5 Go along with 6 __ tube: TV 7 Mexican “other” 8 Sch. near the Rio Grande 9 Streaming delay 10 Typical dinner hr. 11 Country with fjords: Abbr. 12 Actress Hagen 13 Carefree 21 Like 1,225-page “War and Peace” 22 Apiece 25 Quaint exclamation 26 Add (a player) to the poker game 27 Mike Trout’s team 28 Passover meals 29 Czech capital city 30 Dead __: lookalike 31 __-shouldered
Saturday’s Puzzle Solved
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32 Captain, e.g. 35 “Where have you __?” 39 2004-2011 TV series about firefighters 41 Ousted Iranian leader 42 Core exercise system 43 Sign on a new store
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44 Norwegian saint 49 “If only” 52 Author Morrison 53 Egg on 54 “No prob” 55 Minn. neighbor 56 Nick at __ 57 Nays’ opposites 58 Drink sampling 59 Altar affirmative 60 Rock’s __ Speedwagon