The Auburn Plainsman 11.14.2019

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2019

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Indigenous students celebrate culture

Resource center an outlet for veterans

By ABIGAIL MURPHY Lifestyle Writer

By COLLINS KEITH

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Kyle Venable has heard every misconceptions about veterans: They’re all men, they’re all old and they’ve all seen combat.

But while there are some veterans who fit this mold, Venable said, the truth is there are many who do not.

“Any time women are around, they go to anything that has to do with Veterans Day, they [get asked], ‘Oh, your husband served?’ No. It doesn’t have to be that way,” Venable said, who’s the program coordinator for the Veterans Resource Center and a former 19-year member of the Marine Corps. “That shouldn’t be the first question.”

As of 2016, every single type of job or post is open to women. Between 14-16% of those who serve in the enlisted forces are women, according to the Pew Research Center.

Venable noted that veterans are also comprised of students — which means many veterans are of a younger demographic, but not as young as the typical university student. According to the Postsecondary National Policy Institute, the majority of student veterans are between the ages of 24 and 40.

Right now, there are 350 veterans on campus, with 86 actively involved with the Veterans Resource Center, according to Venable. One of the VRC’s biggest challenges is helping veterans transition from a close-knit life with their squadron to an independent and individualized experience.

Combining that with the fact that around 40% of veterans at Auburn have kids, half are married and close to 40% have second jobs, you get a lifestyle change that is incredibly difficult to transition to, Venable said.

“In the military, you’re with the same people every day. You’re either at work or back in your barracks, so it creates that tight

AU students worry in wake of Blanchard case

By TRICE BROWN and EDUARDO MEDINA Campus Editor and Editor-in-chief editor@theplainsman

Anna Ickes said she has always been aware of the potential danger in her surroundings, especially because she is a woman. It was just the way she was raised.

“I know that Auburn is a safe place, and I believe that I could protect myself, and I make conscious decisions to protect myself,” said Ickes, senior in elementary education. “I personally don’t feel unsafe, but I do feel a little worried … and I know other people are worried.”

For a number of students The Plainsman spoke with, that worry stems from the disappearance of Aniah Blanchard — a Southern Union College student who was living in Auburn, studying and finishing homework, worrying about exams like many other students on the Plains.

She was reported missing over three weeks ago.

Since that day, flyers have gone up, alerts have been sent and a suspect, Ibraheem Yazeed, has been taken into custody on a first-degree kidnapping charge.

As of publication, Blanchard is still missing.

Students told The Plainsman that they’re concerned about kidnappings, about crimes such as sex trafficking, which they believe mostly happen in large cities like Atlanta.

Campus safety officials acknowledged that students are on edge but that campus is safe.

Auburn University Campus Safety and Security sent an alert on Nov. 9, saying they had “been made aware of rumors … circulating through social media about alleged human trafficking in the Auburn area.”

“We do not have any information to support these rumors,” Campus Safety and Security said in the email sent out to all students, faculty and staff.

Lorenza Dorsey, captain of the Auburn Police Division, said no police reports have been filed for an attempted kidnapping on campus.

“As much as social media can be advantageous to all of us, unfortunately, there are times when an account of a situation is added onto or misstated and disseminated before confirming information,” Dorsey said in an email. » See SAFETY, 2

» See VETERAN, 2

Emily Fayard feels how her heritage navigates her life, how embracing the legacy of her ancestors has brought fulfillment.

November is National Native American Heritage Month — a time to not only celebrate Native American heritage and learn about Native American culture.

Fayard, an Auburn Alumna, originally went to college in her hometown in Atmore, Alabama, to stay close to her tribe: the Mvskoke people, also known as the Creek people, she said. She then transferred to Auburn to finish up her degree.

When she moved from home to Auburn, Fayard said it was a big shift.

“It’s kind of like living in two worlds at once, is the best way I can describe it,” Fayard said.

Fayard said she wanted to get an organization on campus for Native American students, but the building of such an organization was difficult. She said it is on standstill, but she hopes something will develop.

Currently, Fayard is Miss Indian Alabama 2019, which is a scholarship competition held every year in November. The competition is open to women ages 17 to 23 and women who have a tribal affiliation and are enrolled in an Alabama school.

As part of the competition, each woman wears her tribe’s traditional regalia.

“Each tribe across the country has their own specific regalia,” Fayard said. “It’s different to every culture and there are some similarities across some tribes, but each tribe has their own unique set.”

Fayard said it’s a common misconception that Native Americans are people of the past and not around today — but there are over 6 million Native Americans living in the U.S., according to the 2018 census.

“We may not look like what people think we are supposed to look like, but we’re still here,” Fa» See FAYARD, 2

Georgia game providing test for Tigers to prove themselves

By IAN BIVONA Sports Writer sports@theplainsman

When the Auburn Tigers take on the Georgia Bulldogs this Saturday, all eyes will be on the Tigers’ offense vs the Bulldogs’ defense.

The Georgia defense is currently ranked first in the SEC in points allowed, yards per play allowed, total yards per game allowed, third down conversion rate and rushing yards allowed per game. Through the first nine games, the Bulldogs have also

yet to allow a rushing touchdown and have allowed at most 17 points in a game.

“They’re always going to be pretty good on defense,” Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said. “There’s no doubt about that. Statistically, they’re doing things that haven’t been done in 20 years.”

Malzahn cites needing to be able to run the football effectively to be able to set up passing situations for the Tigers, otherwise the team will be one-dimensional.

“You’ve got to be able to run the

football effectively,” Malzahn said.

“You can’t be one-dimensional. For us to be successful, we’re going to have to run the football effectively.

That’s really how we’re built anyway.

That’ll be a really good matchup to watch. And we’ll see what happens.”

The running game is especially important due to the challenge of playing Georgia’s top-ranked rush defense in the conference, according to Malzahn.

“When we’re at our best we’re able to run the football and we’ve got explosive plays,” Malzahn said. “It

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doesn’t matter if we’re playing them or somebody else, that’s what we need to do. That’s a challenge against this group, but it’s a challenge we’re looking forward to.”

While the Georgia passing defense isn’t as cut-throat as its run defense, the Tigers will need to be more effective throwing the ball. Malzahn said that Auburn’s matchup against Ole Miss was quarterback Bo Nix’s best game yet. If the Tigers want to win, they’ll have to improve on their last game offensively. “[Against Ole Miss] I felt like I

played pretty good,” Nix said. “I hit some throws, hit some deep throws, and really got in a rhythm and was kind of effective from that standpoint, from a quarterback — if you can get in a rhythm early, it helps a lot throughout the game.”

Nix touched on how important it is to get into a rhythm like he was against Ole Miss, against which he threw for 340 yards.

“Obviously extremely important, because if you wait too long to » See GEORGIA, 2

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SAFETY » From 1

Janiah Fryer, sophomore in pre-business, said when she saw the email, she still felt unsettled.

“We’re hyperaware with everything going on,” Fryer said. “Those alerts just make me nervous.”

On Nov. 11, many students were discussing through social media two suspicious interactions that took place on campus involving a man approaching a woman near the quad and three men approaching two women inside the library.

Campus Safety and Security sent an email around 9:30 p.m. that same day and addressed one of the incidents.

“Reports circulating on social media about an attempted kidnapping on campus near the Quad are not true,” Campus Safety and Security said in the email. “The Auburn Police Division did receive a report of suspicious activity, in which a male approached a female near the Quad, but there was no physical contact and no attempted kidnapping.”

Campus Safety and Security then assured people in the email that security was “in place in the areas of the residence halls and the library. Security officers in these areas and police officers assigned to campus will continue to patrol the campus, monitor for criminal activity and respond accordingly.”

The Plainsman received numerous emails that night and the following morning from students and parents concerned about the suspicious activity.

Kameron Austin, freshman in pre-business, said she was in the library and saw the men who spoke with two female students.

The Plainsman corroborated her recollection of what supposedly happened in the library with two other students who told an account similar to Austin’s.

“The guys said they were from San Diego and asked the girls to fill out a survey,” Austin said. “The girls put in a fake number on a survey thing [the men] were asking them to fill out … and then the girls walked away from them … I turned away, too.”

Austin spoke with the female students who told her that they felt “freaked out” and “afraid.”

Campus Safety and Security didn’t address the library incident on Monday night, but it did send a tweet on Tuesday evening, confirming there was “a report of several females being approached by 3 young males in Ralph Draughon Library.”

The tweet also said the males asked the women to complete a survey and provide their Snapchat information; police responded but were not able to locate the males.

The incident that happened close to the quad involved a female student who reported being approached by a 30- to 40-year-old

VETERAN » From 1

bond,” Venable said. “Then you get out and you leave, and you come here to 27,000 people on campus, and you’re just one person. [You] know no one.”

One of the ways that the VRC combats this is by creating more programs for veterans to be involved on campus.

According to Venable, Auburn has been good about providing opportunities and aid to the VRC to help with this issue, but there is always room to improve.

For instance, Venable notes how Auburn has mental health facilities on campus, but these facilities and those who work there are often trained to deal with issues that the common college student has — not for combat trauma and military-specific PTSD. “Having a military-trained counselor would be huge,” Venable said. Venable said.

The other issue that Auburn and the

GEORGIA » From 1

get into a rhythm like he was against Ole Miss, against which he threw for 340 yards.

“Obviously extremely important, because if you wait too long to get in a rhythm, you may be out of luck at that point,” Nix said. “The game may be out of hand. So we’ve just got to start fast and, I mean, complete passes when they’re there and just move the ball and score points.”

The Auburn offense starts and ends with Nix. In the Tigers’ four games against AP Top 25 teams, Nix averages a 45% completion percentage, has 579 total yards passing and five touchdowns.

This will have to improve

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We’re hyperaware with everything going on.”

JACK WEST / OPINION EDITOR

male with a heavy limp near Owen Hall, according to Campus Safety and Security. The man was wearing dark shoes, dark pants and a Hawaiian shirt, the tweet said.

The man motioned for her to come toward him; when she didn’t, he reached for her, and then followed a few feet behind her as she walked toward her vehicle. The tweet said the man walked away toward the Student Center.

Police responded but were not able to locate the male.

“We are providing additional information about these incidents in response to questions from the campus community,” Campus Safety and Security tweeted. “Prior messages about rumors were not intended in any way to discount individuals’ experiences.”

Kelvin King, executive director of Campus Safety and Security, said Auburn is a safe campus, but he emphasized that people should always be mindful of their surroundings and that if one feels uncomfortable about a situation or incident, they should call the police.

state of Alabama as a whole could work on is the accepting of military credit for vocational and technical fields, Venable said.

“I was an electrician, that’s what I did. I fixed satellites, radios, computers ... I could tell you all that kinda stuff. I went through three years of school to do that stuff,” Venable said. “Came to Auburn, none of that counted. They didn’t give me any military credit.”

The reason why this lack of credit can be so damaging is due to the structure of the GI Bill, which is 36-months of paid tuition for veterans.

Some of these programs that veterans are in can take 5 years, and without getting that military credit on the front end, veterans can easily exceed the 36 month limit of the bill, causing them to have to pay for their excess schooling.

“To grow our population, to grow our recruiting of student-veterans here at Auburn, to make us more military-friendly, we need to do a little more,” Venable said.

“Accepting military credit will make students come here and want to stay.”

Saturday, and an effective running game will certainly help.

“Well I think, like we’ve seen, in the past — really our two losses, we got behind the chains pretty badly,” Nix said.

“So first and second down are extremely important to get us into third and manageable.

And then, statistically, we’re pretty good with third and manageable.”

Nix believes that with the game being at home, it will be easier for the Tiger offense to compete with the Bulldog defense.

“Obviously, the facts are that it’s just a little bit easier to communicate,” Nix said, “and it’s not as loud out there on the field. So, I feel like the atmosphere really helps as far as adrenaline and things like that.

When you’re at home, you just

“We always ask: ‘If you see something, say something,’” King said.

The man who approached the female student near Owen Hall is “known to Auburn Police Division,” because he’s been approaching individuals recently, asking for money and rides, according to King.

“I believe [APD] is investigating that already,” King said.

Dorsey told The Plainsman that police are “in the process of confirming the identity of an individual who has been arrested numerous times for approaching people soliciting money, asking for rides, asking for someone to jump-start his vehicle.”

“He has approached several people recently, once again, perpetuating this scam,” Dorsey said.

King said Campus Safety and Security did receive inquiries from people on Monday and Tuesday about the two suspicious occurences on campus.

He said the tweets from Tuesday night were released because they wanted to update students about the incidents.

The VRC also has memorabilia of the World Trade Center in the form of a small, C-shaped metal joint in its office in Foy. On 9/11, Will Jimeno, a US Navy veteran who was, at the time, a port authority officer in New Jersey, survived being buried alive beneath the rubble of the attack with a few of his partners.

Jimeno, whose daughter graduated from Auburn this past May, quickly became a part of the Auburn Family and has become heavily involved with the VRC. He surprised the VRC with a piece of the World Trade Center, a flag that he flew over it and a certificate with his patch.

“Every event that we do, whether it be our Veterans Day Gala, Military Appreciation Reception …we make sure to present those two things,” Venable said.

While the VRC is able to raise money for their students in the form of donations and aid from the University, they said they struggle with outreach.

The Veterans Resource Center wants to ensure students know that they’re located on the second floor of Foy.

MARIE LIPSKI / PHOTO EDITOR

Bo Nix (10) warms up before Auburn football at LSU.

somehow play better. I think that it’ll be really good for us this Saturday. Obviously, because they’re such a good defense, it’ll help a lot, being at home.”

The game will come down to which Auburn offense shows up.

Will it be the offense that

threw for 335 yards and rushed for 217 yards against Mississippi State?

Or will it be the offense that threw for 157 yards and rushed for 130 yards against LSU? No. 12 Auburn will kick off against No. 4 Georgia at 2:30 CST p.m. Saturday from Jordan-Hare Stadium.

“We have a balance we need to keep,” King said. “Obviously we can’t comment on ongoing investigations, but to give some granular details concerning the incidents that happened on campus, we thought it was important to make sure that the student population and those that follow campus safety know that we’re releasing as much information as we can.”

King said he wanted to make sure students know that Campus Safety and Security works closely with APD and that their primary mission is to keep the campus safe.

“Auburn University is a safe community,” King said.

Dorsey reiterated that Auburn police “have had no reports of Auburn Students or anyone else in the community being forced into human trafficking.”

“As always we encourage anyone to contact us if any suspicious actions or individuals are observed. We have members of our staff on federal task forces ... in order to stay abreast and curtail these activities,” Dorsey said. “Obviously, we don’t assume it cannot happen and as a result monitor anything similar.”

This aura of fear in Auburn extends to black male students because some are being racially profiled.

Tyler Pruitt, sophomore in information systems management, said he was walking outside The Beacon on Nov. 8 around noon on his way to meet his girlfriend. Approaching him on the opposite end of the sidewalk were two females.

Pruitt said they kept staring at him. Just as they were about to cross paths, Pruitt said one of the women yelled, “You’re not going to kidnap any more girls!”

They ran away and Pruitt stood still, having been reminded that being black in Auburn brings a microscope of scrutiny and suspicion.

“They just assumed I was the guy that kidnapped [Blanchard],” he said. “I wasn’t really shocked, I was more, like, reminded of how Auburn is.”

Pruitt said he can no longer afford to walk around at night or go on his usual afternoon runs.

“It’s just not safe,” he said. “People are on edge, and a lot of black people are suffering because of that.”

For Ickes, rumors circulating around campus about human trafficking and strange men approaching women in the night, coupled with the disappearance of Blanchard, have made her more vigilant. She has found herself checking over her shoulder more often.

Now that the sun is setting much earlier in the evening, Ickes isn’t walking to the library as often as she usually does. She said she drives to coffee shops instead, so her car is easily accessible.

“I just don’t have to be alone in the dark,” she said.

FAYARD

» From 1

-yard said.

Cheyanne Blevins, a junior in visual media studies, said she grew up in Alabama, but her tribe, Oglala Lakota, is in South Dakota.

“As I got older and became more aware of my culture and my background, I started to dig more into the way that my ancestors lived,” Blevins said.

She said she found it was a culture that was misunderstood. Native American culture is diverse and peaceful, she said.

“I feel like from an early age we grow up with this stigma of what a Native American is,” Blevins said.

All her life, there were stereotypes about what it meant to be a Native American.

“You see the little Indian wearing the headdress and the feathers. Even in school, you make the little headbands and there’s the cowboys and Indians. It’s what we are taught, but there’s so much of this deep rich culture that’s overlooked.”

Alex Colvin, public programs curator for the Alabama Department of Archives and History, said when we picture a Native American, it’s usually the Plains Indians because of the influence of Western movies, but that’s not representative of all Native Americans.

Colvin said a common stereotype is the teepee.

While the Plains Indians did have teepees because it

helped with their nomadic lifestyled, the Creek Indians, descendants of the Mississippians, did not have teepees and lived in permanent residences, Colvin said.

Colvin said the Creeks are a federally recognized tribe in Alabama.

There are in fact eight state-recognized tribes in Alabama, she said.

The Creeks have a strong attachment to their town and to their family because it’s a part of their identity, Colvin said.

Their families were based on a clan system that was formed early in their history, Colvin said.

“Long ago, before they were even the Mississippians, they traveled this land, and they traveled as families,” Colvin said. “A fog came across and they couldn’t see each other, but they held on to each other.

One day, the fog blew away, and they named their family after the first thing they saw.”

That’s why there’s the bear clan, the wolf clan, the wind clan and many others, she said.

Fayard, Blevins and Colvin encourage people to remember how National Native American Heritage Month is a time to research and better understand the tribes in one’s region.

It’s a time, she said, to honor one’s past.

Fayard said her tribe host a powwow in Atmore, Alabama, on Thanksgiving and the day after Thanksgiving.

“It is open to anyone who wants to experience our culture,” Fayard said.

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OPINION

EDITORIAL

Make your voice heard

By EDITORIAL BOARD Fall 2019

It’s no secret that Auburn University has some big issues ahead of it.

There’s a potential enrollment cap being debated, steadily declining rates of minority enrollment and an ongoing search for a permanent president.

These are all big, institution-wide issues that will have immediate and lasting effects on the Auburn student body, faculty and community.

As students, it is our responsibility to make our voices heard and to promote changes that we think will be beneficial to us and to the people around us.

Since this institution is intended to be a place where we can come to better ourselves, it is up to us to explain how we think the administration should be promoting those ends.

That being said, SGA is an established way for stu-

dents to organize and represent themselves to the administration and wider Auburn community.

This group of students — some of whom are elected and some of whom are appointed — often serves as the face of the student body.

They represent the school to lawmakers at City Council meetings and to senators in Montgomery.

With that representation comes the power to advocate for the kinds of change that will benefit Auburn students.

If you are upset about the lack of available on-campus housing, get involved with SGA. If you care about how your school is represented to the rest of the state, get involved with SGA. If you want to stand up for your fellow students, make your voice heard and be a force to enact change, you should get involved with SGA. Applications for next year are open until Nov. 20 and can be found at aub.ie/elections.

LOUIS MARTIN / CARTOONIST

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

‘Homophobic’ professor flubs science, nature, ethics

By Nate Hardy Associate Professor

A couple of weeks ago, AU associate professor Bruce Murray was called out for publicly expressing homophobic views. Since then, Murray has publicly defended his views with appeals to science, nature and ethics.

In other words, he has tried to justify homophobia with scholarship.

Here’s the thing — his scholarship is poor.

First, science.

Murray asserts that members of the LGBTQIA community are breaking the laws of biology. Biology is governed by physics, chemistry, chance and history — laws that can’t be broken by anyone.

What does science tell us about gender? Scientists start with what they can see. Wherever we look, we find a significant minority of peo-

ple who identify as something other than cisgendered men and women. Scientists then test causal explanations.

For example, researchers have found that up to one quarter of the variance in sexual orientation — which is just one facet of gender — can be explained by genetics. The upshot is that many of us are born LGBTQIA. Murray’s appeals to science are not based on observation or tests of causation; they’re hooey.

Next, nature.

Murray sees non-binary gender as an affront to nature and to natural institutions such as heterosexual marriage. But what is this nature he’s talking about, and is it inherently good?

Jogging is natural, but so is heart disease. Our ancestors slept on the ground. Is it wrong to sleep on a mattress?

Murray’s natural-equals-good equation smacks of romantic primitivism — the belief that

people are innately good unless they’ve been corrupted by modernity.

This is the myth of the noble savage.

It’s a myth.

Its take on human nature and history is incongruous with decades of research by anthropologists, psychologists, geneticists and neural biologists. Murray’s appeals to nature are just thinly veiled appeals to his own bias.

Finally, ethics.

Freedom of expression is just one of many freedoms we value in our society. Sometimes one freedom takes away from another.

In particular, liberty and equality are often antithetical. Someone’s free speech can deprive someone else of equal access to education and economic opportunity. Striking the right balance between liberty and equality is one of the great challenges in building a just society.

Philosopher John Rawls sees it as an optimiza-

tion problem in which the goal is to dole out liberty as equally as possible, and promote inequality when it is to the advantage of the least advantaged.

There is no balancing in Murray’s appeals to ethics; he asserts his liberty to deny LGBTQIA equality.

Murray’s homophobic speech is quantifiably harmful to the LGBTQIA community in that LGBTQIA students are more likely to be bullied in school.

Is that worth less than Murray’s liberty to publicly pass off his prejudice as scholarship?

No way.

Excusing Murray’s hate speech as free speech only affirms that we value LGBTQIA students less than we value straight white men.

Nate Hardy is an associate professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Administration’s lack of response speaks loud enough The following letter, addessed to University administrators, was sent to The Plainsman.

Dear Dr. Woodard and Auburn Administrators: The Auburn Plainsman recently published an article regarding one of Auburn’s tenured professors upholding views and statements that are offensive to many students.

It is surprising and discouraging that the University’s administration has not yet issued a formal statement addressing the issue.

Since the article’s publishing, many of Auburn’s faculty have voiced their support for Auburn’s LGBTQ+ community, and this open letter is to show advocacy from students and to request a response from higher administraLauren M. Schlosser Abbigail E. Madden Mya D. Strickland Tyler Ward Laine Harrington Shelby M. Singer Laney Talbot Camille R. Colter Adia A. Foster Lindsey N. Ashorn Antoinette M. Knox-Davis Aahil Makhani M. Ifekauche Angel A. Perry

tion.

It is clear that both students and faculty feel the weight of the silence emanating from Auburn’s administrative offices. I am certain you agree that Auburn University should strive to support the education and welfare of all students.

Research has proven a campus with an unfriendly climate toward marginalized students has negative effects.

A study by Silverschanz, Cortina and Konik measured the impact of a hostile campus climate on sexual minority students. In the study, academic well-being was defined as “students’ relationships with instructors, sense of being respected academically and sense of social acceptance.”

The results showed a statisticalBryson L. Hayes Chase C. Chaplin Jediael S. Fraser Madeline C. Meadows India Lassiter Danielle R. Pezza Meagan L. Jones David C. Walker Cassidy M. Arnold Ronni N. Martin Jacob P. Landram Sarah L. Lafrenier Monroe T. Clayton Camryn Jones

ly significant correlation between the perceived hostility of a campus and poor well-being both psychologically and academically.

The unfriendly environment currently perpetuated at Auburn threatens not only the identities of Auburn’s students but also their ability to succeed at this institution. Access to a safe and inclusive education is a right that all students have, and when that right is intruded upon, it demands a response.

Remaining silent on this issue is unacceptable; indifference reverberates in widening circles and is felt by each of us.

Oppression is undeniably intertwined with the history of this institution, and while these facts are not for-

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

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

Letters must include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification.

Submission may be edited for grammar, style and length. Please submit no more than 600 words.

EDUARDO MEDINA

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

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

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experience and the Auburn Family.”

To act with integrity, we must continually reflect on and question whether we are operating in alignment with our values.

Has Student Affairs been responsive to uncertainty? Committed to the advocacy of students? Dependable through all challenges?

We hope to hear from you and the University in response to this issue and to see an outward show of support for the communities marginalized by the words of one of our professors.

It is important to be mindful of the precedent set by our actions, and I ask that you consider the precedent set by your silence.

Signed,

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

OPINION PAGE POLICIES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

mally endorsed by the University, the echoes of discrimination linger still.

With the knowledge of our past, it is the responsibility of each of us in the present, as members of the Auburn community, to fiercely and actively work against the well-worn pathways of injustice that many feet still follow.

Auburn Student Affairs recently released a new branding statement, which is displayed in our advisors’ offices. It states: “Committed to the care and service of our students. Honest operating with integrity. Respectful of others and who they will become. Responsive in getting things done. Dependable through all challenges and successes. Passionate about the student

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MEMORIAM

New chair honors prisoners of war, missing soldiers

By DREW DAWS Campus Writer

More than 81,000 American soldiers remain missing in action, according to the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Agency.

To honor these soldiers, the University dedicated the POW/MIA Chair of Honor in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 2, during the Tigers’ game against Ole Miss — which was also Military Appreciation Day at the University.

Kyle Venable, veteran programs coordinator for the Veterans Resource Center, said the chair will serve as a reminder for all of the sacrifices that have been made in protecting our country.

“The significance [of the chair] is to always remember those that raised their right

hands, went off to a foreign land to defend our country from harm, and were either captured and held prisoner or never returned home,” he said.

The chair will remain empty during home games and will be guarded on each side by members of the University’s ROTC program, Venable said.

“Auburn’s heritage and deep history of honoring and respecting our military women and men will now be evident to all who visit Jordan-Hare Stadium,” he said.

Further underscoring the importance of the chair, Venable recounted the story of Auburn’s only known graduate who is MIA. Max Morris graduated from Auburn University, then Alabama Polytechnic Institute, in 1942.

While there, he was an honor military student and a varsity football player — he re-

ceived the Carnegie Medal for Heroism after he suffered severe burns attempting to rescue a fellow cadet during an ROTC summer training camp in 1941.

After graduation, he served eight years of military duty. For his service in World War II, he was promoted to the rank of major and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Army of Commendation Ribbon.

Morris has been missing in action since 1950 during the Korean War. “We hope to raise awareness of the indomitable spirit that he possessed,” Venable said.

The Auburn Student Veterans Association, or ASVA, spearheaded the effort to get the Chair of Honor in the stadium, Venable said.

“The ASVA represents all veterans on campus,” he said. “We felt that because of the Auburn Family’s deep military history and

respect for the sacrifices made by those who have served that this was the next step in progressing as a military-friendly university.”

Venable served as president of the ASVA from 2017 – 2019. When he became the program’s coordinator, installing the chair became a top priority, he said.

“I reached out to the Student Government Association through our ASVA-SGA liaison,” Venable said. “The ASVA-SGA team began working with a vendor to get the chair ordered and funded.”

The Chair of Honor will have a lasting impact at the University, ensuring that the stories of people like Morris are never forgotten, Venable said. “[The chair] will be a constant reminder to all of us that our fight for freedom did not come without sacrifice and that freedom is truly not free,” he said.

TRADITION MEMORIAM

JOSHUA FISHER / PHOTOGRAPHER

Indy in Jordan-Hare in Auburn, Ala.

Center adds new bald eagle, Indy

By TRICE BROWN Campus Editor FILE PHOTO

Flags hang in the Student Center indicating the different countries represented by students.

‘Bridge the gap’: Peace Dinner aims to join students together

By TIM NAIL Campus Reporter

Cuisine, culture and companionship between students of all colors and creeds are what define the International Student Organization’s annual International Peace Dinner.

This year, a location change saw the evening’s offerings set up in the Student Activities Center, but that didn’t stop ISO’s member groups from giving it their all in a time when some feel cultural divides are more present than ever.

Fifteen foods represented Auburn students all across the globe, ranging from African ham couscous to Vietnamese vegetable fried rice. But to ISO President Olivia Atkins, a junior in German and political science, the event is a special celebration of the important connections between nationalities.

“It allows for every country to work together and allows them to show do-

mestic students a little piece of home for them,” Atkins said. “We’re all in the same kitchen cooking together. It’s really something cool for me to watch because they’re proud of it.”

The event welcomed students across all international programs and domestic American students for a few hours of meals and conversation.

“I think [the Peace Dinner] lets everyone stay together, meet more friends and also meet different cultures,” said Jerry Shi, senior in aerospace engineering and member of ISO’s Social Hour committee. “[It’s] a dinner where we can share different countries’ food and say, ‘This food’s very good; where are you from?’”

Preparations for the dinner began on Nov. 3 to provide an adequate length of cooking time for the assortment of dishes. ISO partnered with Tiger Dining to streamline the process, making use of Terrell Dining Hall’s kitchens and having the food delivered to the Student Ac-

tivities Center, Atkins said.

“We would go until 1 a.m., and I would be there to supervise everything and help out where I could,” she said.

“We just used one kitchen this year; last year we used three.”

The evening wasn’t solely limited to students; it also saw international Auburn faculty and their families in attendance.

“Lots of teachers and their families came here,” Shi said. “Everyone is welcome to our events; we just use their email to check in.”

ISO began promoting the event within its Social Hour nights about five weeks ahead of time, further advertising to the greater student body afterward via marketing materials and social media with assistance from its advisor.

One of the main obstacles in organizing this year’s dinner was the move to » See INTERNATIONAL, 5

ENTERTAINMENT

David Dobrik gives cash prizes to charitable students

By SARAH GIBSON Campus Writer

On Nov. 12, the University Program Council hosted a Q&A with Youtube vlogger David Dobrik. During the event, Dobrik handed out cash prizes to three students.

Two of the students who won cash had brought the most cans for the Beat Bama Food Drive, while the other was raising money for Auburn University

Dance Marathon’s Children’s Hospital Fundraiser.

Alex Ocampo, senior in biomedical sciences, won a cash prize of $5,000.

He brought 600 cans for the BBFD to be donated to the Food Bank of East Alabama to help end food insecurity and hunger.

“I am a big fan of David Dobrik, but I was actually in New York this morning.” Ocampo said. “I came back to Auburn at about four, and I texted a bud-

dy of mine that is in UPC. I asked my friend what the most donations was so far, and then I went to Sam’s Club and got a bunch of cans.”

Ocampo said that he found out about the canned food drive and the David Dobrik event after he had returned from New York.

“I thought at the very least it was a great donation for a great cause.” Ocampo said. “I seriously had no expectations out of it.”

At the end of the show, Dobrik mentioned the two winners of the competition and said that he wanted to give them a signed can. Once he handed over the can, he said he also put a $10,000 check inside for the two winners to split. Ocampo said Dobrik brought the winners on stage to take a picture.

Ocampo said he wants to use money to go towards school, fraternity and savings.

On the sidelines of Jordan-Hare or on educational demonstrations across the state, fans may be surprised to see a new eagle among the usual birds.

On Veteran’s Day, the Southeastern Raptor Center officially introduced the center’s newest bird, a bald eagle named Independence, or Indy for short.

Andrew Hopkins, the center’s assistant director of raptor training and education, said Indy came to Auburn from a rehabilitation center in Florida.

“While she was there, she became a human imprint,” Hopkins said.

“Which means she got too used to people, so she was deemed non-releasable.”

In a later email, Hopkins said Indy arrived at the SRC in June 2018. Her hatch date was estimated to be in January 2016, meaning she will be turning four years old at the beginning of next year.

Hopkins said bald eagles become fully grown at four months old, but they don’t become mature — and get their signature white head and tail — until they are five years old.

“Slowly over the first five years, they are growing more and more white colorations on their head and on their tail,” Hopkins said.

He said Indy has attended every football game this year. He said the SRC likes to make sure that they will keep an eagle before they announce it to the public.

Because Monday was Veteran’s Day, it was a good day to formally announce Indy on social media, Hopkins said.

According to Hopkins, Indy’s future at the SRC will include more educational presentations and training to potentially fly around Jordan-Hare stadium during games.

“She’s got about a year underneath her belt right now and she’s looking pretty good,” Hopkins said.

“But it’s still a little too early to say whether she will be able to fly around in front of all those crowds — all those people.”

The Auburn Plainsman

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2019

PAGE 5

INCLUSION

Speaker discusses low-income students during lecture series

By SARAH GIBSON Campus Writer

Jack recently finished his book, “The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges are Failing Disadvantaged Students.”

“When you remove finance as a barrier, it opens opportunities for low-income students to be able to receive a college degree,” Jack said. “It is not the work — any student admitted can do the work. It is the economic and social hurdles that trip the students up.”

On Thursday, Nov. 7, Auburn University hosted a critical conversations event with guest speaker Anthony Jack, sociologist and assistant professor of education at Harvard University.

Jack has worked to change the way diversity and inclusion are addressed in education.

His book was a conglomeration of the inter-

views of 103 students that he conducted over two years.

He still carries the student’s stories with him, he said.

“My research was to show that there was a gap between low-income students and those who were not,” Jack said. “The research showed what schools take for granted, like what students know and what the students can afford.”

Accroding to Jack, students who attend a more selective school are not guaranteed a better life, only a higher chance of graduation. He said it is important for students to become close with faculty members so the student will have a genuine, rich recommendation of who they are.

“Social class shapes how you navigate college,” Jack said. “Some students view themselves as equal to adults, and they feel as if they are guaranteed a seat at the table. There are some students who believe they have to keep their head down

and do their best to get ahead. Students do not realize that this is how they get overlooked because they are not making those connections.”

Faculty connections are so important because they have connections in their field and know others that could help students after they graduate, he said.

According to Jack, one of the biggest topics his research uncovered was the huge presence of food insecurity on college campuses. Food insecurity is not knowing where the next meal is coming from, or if it will come.

He said only one of five schools that claimed they were no-loan schools — schools that require zero family contribution — keep their dining halls open during spring break. This matters because students who have no home to return to or who cannot afford to go back home lose that resource.

“I met a young white woman at a conference that stood up in the room and asked if I noticed

INTERNATIONAL

BUSINESS

» From 4

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Eddie Strickland’s company, Eddie’s Bees, made over 335 gallons of honey over the last year.

Engineering student launches locally sourced honey business

By TIM NAIL Campus Reporter

Eddie Strickland, senior in mechanical engineering, has been fond of the concept of beekeeping since age 14, when he looked into getting his first hive. It was from there that he saw a need for more locally sourced honey in Alabama and decided to turn passion into profit, founding Eddie’s Bees with his father while in high school.

Strickland said he prioritizes care into how his bees are treated to ensure for organic honey production. He reported that over 335 gallons were made in the last year from the total 60 hives in operation at present.

“It’s a really nice, clean environment,” Strickland said. “We don’t use any sort of pesticides or chemicals with our bees.”

In his four years as an Auburn student, Strickland said he has developed strategies and a strong network for maintaining his business that have assured its continued success.

“It’s all about the people you’re around, and the people here at Auburn are really great,” he said. “I’ve definitely found the best friendships and personal relationships with people that I’ve ever had in my life here.”

While Strickland’s major may differ from the path of a beekeeper, his studies in mechanical engineering have supported his work with hives greatly. He says he’s taken some lessons from courses and applied them to creating his own tools of the trade with as-

sistance from his father.

“The critical thinking and complex analytical skills learned in engineering have helped me to think through problems I’ve faced as a beekeeper,” Strickland said. “It gave me the opportunity to learn a lot of technical skills.”

His choice to study engineering still means he has his sights set on a different future, however, in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He is a member of the University’s Army ROTC, serving as operations sergeant major, and is set to be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army after graduation.

“I want to work in the Army Corps of Engineers because I’ll be able to apply the mechanical engineering skills I’ve developed here at Auburn to work on building projects – such as dams, waterways, and military construction – that help the general public,” he said.

Even so, Strickland doesn’t view his move to the military as the end of his apiary business, because his father will take the reins while he is away.

“My dad is retired, so when I’m not home to help, he keeps things going,” Strickland said. “Eddie’s Bees will keep going strong for a long time.”

Honey produced by Eddie’s Bees is available to Auburn consumers via local businesses such as Coffee Cat. Strickland has also worked with the University in supplying his product to on-campus dining locations like the Wellness Kitchen.

another venue, which was decided on because of recent renovations to the Student Activities Center. The new location was featured on posters throughout campus, and Atkins said committee members were posted at the Student Center Ballroom to relocate confused visitors.

“We were thinking, ‘Why don’t we try something new,’” she said. “There is more space in the [Student Activities Center], so I think it was a really good move.”

Another difficulty was ISO’s more extended outreach of the event as an attempt to bring in a more diverse number of guests.

“Trying to get to every single group on Auburn’s campus is definitely hard and that’s a huge challenge,” Atkins said. “We even tried to let sororities and fraternities know who otherwise wouldn’t have known, but I think we did a pretty good job of [advertising].”

ISO’s programs tend to attract mostly international students by nature. However, the organization’s leadership said this can be a

any gender differences in how students navigated spring break for [those] who couldn’t afford to go home,” Jack said. “I wanted her to feel empowered to tell her story. She then followed by saying she increased her online dating activity to secure dates during the week. In order to eat, she offered her time.”

Jack said one student told him that he looked at the dollar store for microwavable meals. Another student said she had worked extra shifts to eat one meal a day, eventually passing out because of not being able to replenish herself after overworking.

“Never be afraid to ask for help; it is never a sign of weakness but a sign of strength,” Jack said. “To ask someone for help is acknowledging that you are approaching the extent of your own knowledge and you are willing to reach out to someone that has a little more expertise than you to help chart an unfamiliar path.” shifting tide based on domestic student interest.

“I would say there are more international people here,” Shi said. “With Social Hours, sometimes there are more local students, but it depends.”

Shi regarded the yearly Peace Dinner as ISO’s culminating event for the fall semester, intended to highlight not one but all groups of international students and represent the organization’s aim of unifying Americans with international students and faculty.

“ISO sets events for different organizations from different countries to let more students and teachers in Auburn learn cultures, so it’s like a happy hour group,” he said.

“The Peace Dinner brings all the organizations together.”

Atkins said some might find her status as ISO President unusual, because she is a domestic student.

“I’ve been with ISO since my freshman year,” she said. “I get it all the time that people are like, ‘Are you international? How are you the president of ISO?’ but you don’t have to be. ISO’s mission is to bridge the gap between domestic and international students and that’s how you do it.”

TIM NAIL / CAMPUS REPORTER

The International Peace Dinner inside the Student Activities Center on Nov. 6, 2019 in Auburn, Ala.

SUPPORTING A SOUND MIND.

WE ARE STUDENT COUNSELING & PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES. WE ARE AUBURN STUDENT AFFAIRS.

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THEPLAINSMAN.COM

COMMUNITY

6

HOUSING

City plans to take action on student housing

By EVAN MEALINS Assistant Community Editor

On Tuesday, Nov. 12, the City of Auburn’s Student Housing Task Force held its first meeting since Oct. 18, when it first discussed the 2019 Student Housing Task Force Report.

The meeting, held in the City’s public meeting room on Tichenor Ave., was adjourned after a short period of group discussion among the five members in attendance.

Six members were absent.

Mayor Ron Anders, the founder and one of the members of the Student Housing Task Force, said after the meeting that this was “probably” the last of the task force’s meetings.

“It’s time to take some intentional action from the City level,” Anders said.

The purpose of Tuesday’s meeting was to once again review the findings of the City of Auburn’s 2019 Student Housing Task Force Report.

“It’s very clear to me that we’ve got significantly more beds than students,” Anders said.

“And since that number of students is not going to grow and that number of beds is not going to diminish, we’ve got a challenge in front of us.”

Task force member Ray Huff, the owner of Auburn Realty, a local real estate company that owns various student housing properties around Auburn, thanked Anders and the City for conducting the report, saying it was “the best information that we’ve ever seen, we’ve ever had.”

Huff believes the information in the report is fairly accurate in its account, which places the current total number of bedrooms for student housing at 34,678, but there still may

be even more rooms that were not counted.

“I think, taking that information and adding other things to it through industry knowledge, that it was pretty much established that we’ve probably got 40,000-plus beds and 30,000 students,” Huff said.

Huff admitted Tuskegee University students and Southern Union State Community College students may also fill the bedrooms, but there is a debate over how many of them actually do.

Huff offered three different approaches for the City to look into in the future as it makes its decision.

The first was for the City to enforce new structural standards, such as requiring steel instead of wood framing, which may be more “cost involved” and “prohibitive to some of those people wanting to come downtown and build these large structures.”

The second approach Huff offered was for the City to find ways to redirect growth away from downtown through City ordinances.

Assistant City Manager Megan McGowen Crouch pointed out that part of the reason that the downtown area was targeted so heavily for development was because of the opportunity zone designation the area was given by the federal government, which the City had no power or say over.

Businesses are given certain tax incentives to develop in opportunity zones, which are places the federal government deems as economically distressed.

“We made no request to have an opportunity zone in this area,” Crouch said. “We didn’t get it on Opelika Road, we didn’t get it in Northwest Auburn, we got it smack dab in downtown Auburn.”

The third strategy that Huff offered was

ALLISSA STANLEY / PHOTOGRAPHER

191 College and West & Wright aparment buildings in downtown Auburn.

to limit the number of beds to each student housing development, possibly at around 100 beds per development.

Huff stressed that further decisions should continue to be informed by the opinions of the private sector as well as the government.

Anders said that with the information gathered, the expected plan from the University to keep undergraduate enrollment around 25,000 students and the input they have received from students and community members, they are ready to move forward with the process and develop a strategy to address the surplus of student housing in the City.

“Certainly, from a citizen’s standpoint, we

are open to hear your ideas and your thoughts about how to go about doing this,” Anders said. “It’s not simple and it’s not black and white, but it’s something I think we’ve got to get going sooner rather than later.”

The City Council and the Planning Commission will determine if student housing is an issue and, if it is an issue, what strategy to take to try and resolve the issue, Anders said.

“We’ve got a lot of smart and experienced people that I need to listen to and get some leadership from there, and then it’ll be up to me to guide and initiate the discussion with the Council,” Anders said. “You’ve got to act quick, but you can’t be reckless.”

INVESTIGATION

Judge signs gag order in ongoing missing-teen search

By ELIZABETH HURLEY Community Editor

Ibraheem Yazeed, 30, is now in custody in Lee County, Alabama after he was arrested in Pensacola, Florida, Friday, Nov. 8 on kidnapping charges related to the case of missing Auburn teen Aniah Blanchard.

Following his arrest, Lee County District Judge Russell Bush issued a gag order with the case. He instructed all those involved in the case not to speak about it to members of the media, said Auburn Police Capt. Lorenza Dorsey.

An investigation and analysis of evidence determined that Yazeed was in the same location at which Blanchard was last seen and was involved in taking her against her will, police released in a statement on Nov. 7.

Yazeed was booked in the Escambia County Jail early in the morning on Nov. 8, where he was charged as an out-of-state fugitive pending extradition to Lee County, which occurred the following week.

Yazeed is currently held in the Lee County Jail with no bond.

Blanchard and her vehicle were reported missing three weeks ago af-

ter last communicating with a friend just before midnight on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

Her vehicle was located in Montgomery, Alabama, after a citizen reported it to police. The vehicle was damaged between the time it was last seen on Oct. 23, to when it was located on Oct. 25, according to releases from Auburn Police.

The vehicle was located about 55 miles from where it was last seen in Auburn.

Surveillance video was released by police on Oct. 28, that showed her making a purchase at a gas station

on South College Street. This video was captured just before her vehicle was seen traveling on South College Street, according to police.

Over the course of the three-week search for Blanchard, several local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have partnered in the search including the FBI, U.S. Marshal Service, the Lee County District Attorney’s Office, the Auburn Police Division, Montgomery Police Department and several others, to total 11 agencies working together.

Blanchard is a student at Southern Union State Community College,

according to a tweet from Auburn Campus Safety.

She is described as a light-complexioned black female, 5-feet-six-inches tall and weighs about 125 pounds, according to police. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a black dress, tan duck boots and black stockings, according to police.

Rewards totaling over $100,000 have been issued for information that leads to arrest in the case with contributions from Gov. Kay Ivey, UFC President Dana White and several others.

MILITARY

Auburn celebrates its service members after Veterans Day

By ELIZABETH HURLEY Community Editor

The sun shined bright onto the Veterans Memorial Monument, casting a long shadow onto the ground at Auburn’s Veterans Day Ceremony Monday morning. Community members and leaders gathered at the memorial to celebrate veterans in the community and throughout the country.

For City Council member Kelley Griswold, Veteran’s Day is about recognizing and thanking all service members past and present.

“To me, Veterans Day is a recognition of the service of all of those who served both in combat and otherwise,” Griswold said. “It takes a complete team to get the tip of the spear where it needs to be.”

Griswold retired from the Army in 2003 as a colonel after 26 years in the service. He was stationed throughout the country as an artilleryman.

He was trained on various weapons systems and continually tested and trained others on them during a large part of his service at various U.S. bases.

“I certainly have a tremendous amount of support for those that have been in this long war,” Griswold said.

It’s important for Griswold to shake every hand and give every veteran a nod of appreciation because every veteran, regardless of the day or time of year, deserves it, Griswold said.

“Every bit of service they contributed all went toward the same overall purpose,” Griswold said.

Auburn, both the City and University, do a great job at this, said

Student Veteran Association President and Alabama National Guard Staff Sgt. Benjamin Barrontine.

Both regularly give out awards to highlight service members or host events to honor service members, such as the annual military appreciation football game and the Mayor’s Memorial Day breakfast.

“My time in Auburn the last year, every other day is for us,” Barrontine said. “They highlight us all the time.”

One way to thank veterans outside of these types of events is to treat them like any other person, Barrontine said.

There is a misconception many people hold about veterans, Barrontine said. Often times people think that because they served there is something different or off about them.

It’s no different than a non-service member going through something. Everyone is human and is working through various things, Barrontine said.

“We’re not broken,” Barrontine said. “I think a lot of people think that when veterans come back from war we’re broken and we need to be fixed. Or that we’re broken and you need to be scared of us because you don’t want to hurt our feelings.”

Veterans are often the biggest supporters of other veterans. Many get involved with the Veterans Resource Center and the Student Veterans Association to continue to support the military and service members.

One upcoming way to get involved is the Iron Ruck March, where veterans from the University of Alabama, Auburn University and everywhere in between will

CORY BLACKMON / COMMUNITY REPORTER

Auburn’s Veterans Day Ceremony on Monday, Nov. 11, in Auburn, Ala.

join together to carry supply packs from Tuscaloosa to Auburn to honor and raise awareness about veteran suicide. Those supplies will then be donated to veteran shelters across

the country.

They do this and many other things through the Veterans Resource Center to raise awareness, but also to connect veterans to oth-

er former service members because, Barrontine said, all service members are important.

“We’re all one big family, one big community,” Barrontine said.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2019

The Auburn Plainsman

PAGE 7

RECREATION

Community center expansion a ‘tremendous plus’

By ABBY DRIGGERS Community Writer

Northwest Auburn community members can expect several new amenities at the Boykin Community Center with upcoming additions and renovations.

At the State of the City address on Oct. 29, Mayor Ron Anders discussed the relocation of the Environmental Services and Public Works Department to provide additional space for an expanded Boykin Community Center campus.

The expansion project will include a black history museum and the community’s second public library. Residents requested these new expansions at various town hall and City Council meetings last year.

A new food pantry, computer lab and medical clinic are to be built within the existing infrastructure.

The community center campus, housed at 400 Boykin Street near the intersection of Bragg Avenue and Donahue Drive, is home to the Auburn Day Care Center, Auburn Senior Center, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County and Joyland Child Development Center.

Recreational amenities at the facility currently include a 24-hour basketball court, the Boykin Community Center gymnasium and a fitness center.

“[Boykin Community Center] used to be thought of more as a recreational facility, but I think as we move forward, it’s going to become more of a community service facility,” Community Service Director Al Davis said.

Davis said having the Auburn University Health Care Clinic and Education Center in the building, in particular, will provide major value to those individuals who are uninsured, underinsured or prefer to access health care in Northwest Auburn.

The clinic will be managed by the Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy with clinical participation of other University programs.

The clinic is set to hopefully open sometime next year, Davis said.

“We are very excited about this partnership with the City of Auburn and the opportunities we have with the Auburn University Health Care Clinic and Education Center,” said Dr. Richard Hansen, dean of the Harrison School of Pharmacy in a press release.

However, Auburn residents are not the only group that will reap the benefits of the expansion.

“It’s not just one facet of the community that will be impacted by this project when it’s done,” Davis said.

Several Auburn University students live in the nearby neighborhoods and enjoy services pro-

KATHERINE MILLER / PHOTOGRAPHER

New amenities will be added to the Boykin Community Center in Northwest Auburn

vided by the Boykin Community Center.

“Auburn University students are a part of the community too,” Davis said. “I look at it as a tremendous plus.”

The expansion will begin after the relocation of the Environmental Services and Public Works Departments.

The Environmental Services and Public Works Department building is currently located near the Boykin Community Center campus

EDUCATION

at 356 N. Donahue Drive.

Anders said the community center has become a true hub of the City’s community service efforts, a sentiment echoed by Davis.

“We attract a lot of people to this campus for various services and programs,” Davis said. “We are here to serve. Everything that we add to that mission of service to the community makes it truly what our purpose is — to provide quality services to the citizens of Auburn.”

ENVIRONMENT

City replaces invasive species for native ones

By CHARLIE RAMO Community Writer

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN CITY SCHOOLS

Members of Auburn High School’s building science program stand in front of their Tiny House..

AHS class plans to sell newly built Tiny House

By FIELDER HAGAN Community Writer

Auburn High School took on a lifesize endeavor that usually requires a team of trained carpenters and engineers and scaled it down to fit the classroom for students to handle with the Tiny House Project in 2018.

After many hours of work with building science and construction teacher Jessica Bowlin, the project was unveiled at the end of October.

The 220-square-foot home comes with appliances like a washer, dryer and stovetop, along with a working bathroom and space for a bed.

The house is up for sale to the public and will be sold to the highest bidder.

Bidding begins at $30,000 and will continue until Nov. 23.

Auburn High School is the only school in the state to build a project on this scale, Bowlin said.

During the construction of the Tiny

House, students learned how to frame and see a project through from start to finish. The class learned skills like installing insulation, designing walls using digital software, constructing walls and building stairs.

This project knocks out three of the class’s main course objectives while raising money for the next class to build another their project.

Throughout the process of building the Tiny House, Bowlin said she encouraged and trusted her students the entire time.

“These are the world-changers of our future, and they will go on to advance society in far greater ways than ever before,” Bowlin said. “These students are creative problem solvers, tech-savvy innovators and technically-skilled citizens.”

Neither exam weeks nor harsh weather could stop the team as they continued to work on the Tiny House.

Bowlin was recognized among staff and students alike by receiving the AH-

Some Educator Purpose Award, which Auburn High School awarded her to show their appreciation for her devotion to helping students gain life experience while developing a passion for learning, Bowlin said.

“While placing students in the industry is an important goal of mine, my ultimate goal is to instill the value of learning into every student that walks in my door,” Bowlin said.

Bowlin and her students working on the Tiny House helped Auburn City Schools Career Tech Education Programs win four first place Public Relations Awards at the 2019 Alabama Career Tech Association Spring Conference in Orange Beach.

“We believe that communities thrive only to the degree that education of all is a shared commitment,” Bowlin said. “We believe that collective efforts always surpass individual potential. We believe that a culture of excellence is our greatest legacy.”

The City of Auburn has begun to make an effort to remove invasive species dominating green spaces throughout the City, beginning with Town Creek Park.

“The entire understory underneath the large trees is just eaten up [by invasive species],” said Anne Randle, urban forestry specialist. “In a natural ecosystem in this part of the country, it should be open, and you would have areas for birds, pollinators, native flowers and native grasses.”

Kudzu, privet hedge, wisteria and other species took over areas once home to native species roughly 60 to 70 years ago, Randle said. These species now provide environments for coyotes, foxes and squirrels instead of local fauna.

“When you have a spot that’s not being taken care of well, that’s where you start to have encroachment issues,” Randle said. “Keeping things in a natural setting establishes a balance and eliminates places where [coyotes and foxes] can take cover and create dens.”

These invasive species are common throughout the Southeast, where they can be found in parks, public spaces and backyards alike, Randle said. The City has dealt with these species with mulching machines in flat areas, though volunteers are required for areas the machines cannot tra-

verse.

“We plan to have several more volunteer opportunities in the coming year where we go in and continue to remove invasive species, but also replant native species,” Randle said. “We’re not just trying to mow things down once.”

In areas where the invasive species have already been removed, native plants have begun to naturally return. Native wildflowers and grasses still have seeds in the soil.

They only require sunlight and room to grow in order to return to the ecosystem, Randle said.

The problem the City will continue to face is that invasive species will continue to spread to areas previously cleaned up, Randle said.

Neighbors with the species in their yards can cause them to spread to nearby areas.

“We have set up an online volunteer signup for projects like this in the City,” Randle said. “We’re asking folks, even if they couldn’t make this time, to go ahead and sign up and give us your email address. ” There are many areas in Town Creek Park and throughout Auburn that could be cleaned of invasive species in the future, Randle said.

“If you’re going to take on a project like this, you have to have enough resources to be able to go out consistently and stay on top of it,” Randle said.

“Going through and chopping something down one time is not going to fix the problem.”

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FOOTBALL

SPORTS

FOOTBALL

Kick time set for Breaking down Auburn’s 5 biggest points AU-Samford

Five tips for finals season to fix before critical November stretch

By JONATHAN HART Sports Writer

Through nine weeks of play, the No. 12 Auburn Tigers have totaled 8,326 yards of offense and 37 offensive touchdowns in their seven wins and two hard-fought road losses.

Of their remaining three games, two are considered to be among the most anticipated matchups of the year: No. 4 Georgia and No. 5 Alabama. The outcomes of these two games could affect not only the lineup for the SEC Championship game in December, but also the entire College Football Playoff in January.

The bye week before facing the Bulldogs on Saturday serves as the perfect time for the Tigers offense to take a look at their strengths and weaknesses from the past nine games in order to tighten up in certain areas.

Statistically, it’s easy to see what those areas are, and in order to stand a chance during 2019’s installment of Amen Corner, Auburn’s offense will have to work on most of, if not all of these things in a big way.

RED-ZONE OFFENSE The Tigers have reached their opponents’ red zone exactly 38 times this season. On those red zone attempts, they have scored 33 times for 198 points.

This is a significant amount on paper, averaging 22 red zone points per game, however the distribution is very lopsided. Forty-one of those points came on seven scores against Kent State, 35 more on five scores against Mississippi State, and 27 on four scores against Arkansas, all of which were in Auburn’s three highest-scoring games this season.

From there, the numbers are far more sparse. Auburn’s offense scored no more than 21 points against any other opponent when in the red zone. Auburn also failed to reach Florida’s red zone more than once and failed to put any points on the board on that one attempt. Using a metric that calculates red zone efficiency by factoring in how many points were actually scored over how many points could have been scored, Auburn’s total red zone efficiency is 76.27%, however, a quarterly analysis of this total shows that red zone efficiency drops to just 66.23% in the second quarter.

On average the second quarter tends to be Auburn’s worst offensively, and the point totals show it. Auburn’s offense has managed only nine touchdowns in the second quarter through all nine games, with six of those happening in matchups against Tulane, Kent State and Mississippi State.

Against Top-25 opponents, of which Georgia and Alabama are in the upper

echelon, Auburn has scored 10 touchdowns. Only three of them were scored in the losing efforts against Florida and LSU. Alabama’s defense will not be forgiving in the red zone, and Georgia’s even less so.

OFFENSIVE LINE COHESION If the ball is to be run up the middle, as it often times is, the O-line’s job is to create a hole for the running back to carry through. If the ball is to be thrown, the O-line is supposed to hold off the onslaught of the opposing defensive line and give the quarterback the necessary time to complete his throw.

In every game but the Tulane game, Auburn’s O-line has allowed a sack by the opposing team. The most sacks happen in the second quarter with seven second quarter sacks, or 0.78 sacks per game.

A trend becomes quite noticeable in the second quarter, which is the only quarter in which Auburn’s offense averages more passing yards than rushing yards. In the first quarter, the Tigers average 62 rushing yards per game. Just one quarter later, they average a mere 38.78 yards.

The inability of the offensive line to open holes for the running backs causes the quarterback to throw the ball more frequently, boosting average passing yardage from 50 yards in the first quarter to 59 yards in the second.

This also partly accounts for the low scoring totals in the second quarter across the board. As the QB begins to throw the ball more quickly and more frequently, completion percentage falls drastically from 59.82% to 38.27%.

This leads to more three-and-outs, which allows for more playing time for the opposing offense. Against high-powered defenses like Georgia and Alabama, the offensive line will be crucial in the effort to score.

Without significant improvement in total offensive line cohesion, the defense will not only sack the quarterback for significant yardage losses, but also stymie the Tigers’ running game, forcing them to become more one-dimensional with an emphasis on passing. With a quarterback whose total completion percentage against Top 25 opponents is 45.1%, that situation is one best avoided.

FIRST-HALF PLAY Auburn fans have long loved the idea of Auburn being a “second-half team,” putting forth enough effort in the first half to stay competitive while saving enough energy to explode out of the gate and play relentlessly in the second half.

As mentioned earlier, in the second

quarter Auburn is averaging only 38.78 yards per game. Auburn has scored 150 points in the first half of nine games.

The Bulldogs have only scored 153 first half points this season, and the Crimson Tide has scored 244.

Auburn’s offense must do the same to stay competitive. Should Auburn fall too far behind in the first half, will its offense be able to make the comeback? Statistically, the answer is no. Auburn has completed one successful second-half comeback this year in the season opener against Oregon. In every other game this season where the Tigers were down or tied at the half, they end up losing.

THIRD-DOWN OFFENSE The total conversion percentage for Auburn’s offense on third down is 44.53%, ranking them 26th nationally. When looking at specifically thirddown conversion against Top 25 teams, that falls to 28.75%. In some instances, it is better to be conservative and attempt to simply advance the ball, such as in Baton Rouge when Auburn faced third-and-27 after a botched snap two plays earlier carried the ball 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

However, what also must be taken into account is the fact that the offense will only have the ball so many times during the game. Auburn averages 14 possessions a game. Auburn’s offense averages more rushing yards per quarter and much better completion percentages per quarter in the second half, and it converts 45.67% of its third downs.

The Tigers have to get at least within field goal range on every possible drive to have a chance at winning against our remaining opponents. For example, Auburn punted nine times against LSU. A field goal on even one of those drives means a tie game and likely overtime.

OVERALL CONSISTENCY Offensive consistency is crucial for a team looking to upset CFP hopefuls.

Note, though, that consistency is not the same as repetition. Consistency is finding a way to move the ball for meaningful yardage on every play. Where are more plays like Anthony Schwartz’s first touchdown run against Texas A&M? When will we again see the likes of Harold Joiner’s reception and explosive run for 78 yards? Or how about DJ Williams bulldozing down the field for 41 yards, only to later run again for 70 more?

If the Tigers truly desire to run the ball, they’ve proven in the past they can get it done on the ground — and get the ball to their top playmakers. Strides » See 5 POINTS, 9

BASKETBALL

By NATHAN KING Sports Editor

Auburn will hypothetically get a break in between its pivotal tilts against bitter rivals Georgia and Alabama.

The Tigers will kick off their penultimate home game of the season against Samford at 11 a.m. CST from Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Southeastern Conference announced last week.

It will be the only morning home game of the season for Auburn and the second 11 a.m. kick of the year after the Tigers faced Arkansas on the road last month at that time.

The time for this year’s edition of the Iron Bowl match-

up against Alabama has yet to be announced, though it’s speculated the game will receive its traditional 2:30 p.m.

CST slot on CBS. Auburn and Samford have faced off 28 times in the programs’ history. The Tigers have never lost, claiming 27 victories and a tie in 1927 in Birmingham. Samford began playing organized football as an Independent in 1902.

The Bulldogs, members of the Southern Conference in FCS Division-I, are 4-6 this season and have lost four of their last five.

Their next opponent is Western Carolina, which plays at Alabama next weekend.

BASKETBALL

Okoro strong on both ends of the floor

By JAKE WEESE Sports Reporter

Against Davidson last Friday, freshman forward Isaac Okoro led Auburn in scoring with 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and a 2-of-3 mark from 3-point range, helping the Tigers secure a 76-66 win over the Wildcats at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Okoro followed that performance up with another heroic game on Tuesday against South Alabama. The freshman stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points including a game-winning basket with 1.3 seconds left in the game.

He also had a season-high six rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals in Auburn’s 70-69 win over South Alabama.

It’s a small sample size but the freshman has played as advertised through Auburn’s first three games. Okoro is Auburn’s leading scorer, averaging 14.3 points on a team best 60.7% shooting from the field.

In the season opener against Georgia Southern, Okoro had 12 points, five rebounds and two assists. Even before the season opener, the freshman showcased his skills by winning the Tipoff at Toomer’s dunk contest.

Head coach Bruce Pearl is not shocked by the fact that Okoro has made an immediate impact.

“It’s encouraging but not surprising,” Pearl said. “He’s got really good basketball IQ. He’s picked up on everything.

It’s really fortunate that he was our most talented freshman who we thought could be our best freshman by virtue of who he was and where he was ranked and how good he was.”

In Auburn’s three games this season, Okoro has been the starter at small forward, and he’s logged the most minutes of any newcomer on the team.

Coming out of high school, Okoro was ranked as a 4-star recruit by the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was also ranked No. 36 on the 247Sports list of 2019 top basketball recruits.

The freshman forward played shooting guard in high school but is now playing at more of a small forward or power forward role — a role that, according to Pearl, has worked well.

“I’m playing him at two positions,” Pearl said. “He’s playing the 3 and 4. That’s really hard to do, and he is on it and all over it. He’s a really smart player. He’s been a great addition, and we’ve just got to continue to get more experience with him.”

The forward has kept busy this season with not only playing both the 3 and 4.

Okoro is also second on the team in minutes with an average of 32 per game.

Okoro clutch as Tigers outlast South Alabama in Mobile

By CHRISTIAN CLEMENTE Sports Writer

HARRISON TARR / SPORTS WRITER

Isaac Okoro (23) shoots over South Alabama defenders during Auburn basketball at South Alabama on Nov. 12, 2019, in Mobile, Ala.

MOBILE, Ala. — Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl knew traveling to Mobile to take on South Alabama was going to be a tough task. He had been saying so since the matchup was scheduled.

The game started out sloppy with Auburn falling behind early and dealing with turnovers. It was also getting heavily out-rebounded despite a large height advantage.

At the half Auburn led by eight but things changed from there. The Tigers’ advantage swelled to as many as 14 points before untimely turnovers and missed free throws saw the lead wither away. Behind a pair of triples from Andre Fox, South Alabama took the lead with just 28 seconds remaining.

After a chaotic series of events, true freshman Isaac Okoro was able to grab a rebound and put it back up for a layup while getting fouled, giving Auburn a 1-point lead with 1.3 seconds left. Okoro missed the free throw but the Jaguars were unable to hit a buzzer-beater as Auburn won 70-69.

For Pearl, seeing Okoro make a clutch shot was not surprising.

“No, no, he’s a great player,” Pearl said after the game.

“He does it at both ends. Phenomenal athlete — just real productive. I’m just gonna have fun every night thinking of ways to utilize him.”

While Okoro started and played a big role for the Tigers, redshirt sophomore Jamal Johnson also played a massive role off the bench scoring 14 and shooting

MARIE LIPSKI / PHOTO EDITOR

» See S. ALABAMA, 9

Isaac Okoro (23) drives to the hoop during Auburn vs. Eckerd on Nov. 1, 2019, in Auburn, Ala.

The Auburn Plainsman

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2019 FOOTBALL

Tigers add pair to 2020 class

By NATHAN KING Sports Editor

Auburn bolstered both sides of its line last week with commitments at arguably its most important positions for the immediate future.

The Tigers added 4-star defensive end Jay Hardy as well as Brenden Coffey, the No. 2 junior college offensive tackle in the nation. Both ratings are according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Hardy’s choice came as a shocker. The 6-foot-4, 290-pound lineman is a top-100 recruit and the No. 5 strongside defensive end in the nation.

He hails from Chattanooga, Tennessee, from McCallie High School. He was considered by most major recruiting sites to be a lock to the Tennessee Volunteers months ago, even to the point that the Vols staff considered him a silent commitment and his verbal pledge to be nothing but a formality.

But Hardy turned the tables last Wednesday, choosing Auburn over the Vols. He also held offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU and most other major programs in the nation.

With the Tigers graduating All-American tackle Derrick Brown and All-SEC end Marlon Davidson at the conclusion of this season — and junior end Nick Coe possibly leaving for the NFL draft — Auburn needs to reload quickly along the defensive line. Hardy joins 3-star Mobile, Alabama, product Daniel Foster-Allen as Auburn’s only current commits on the defensive front in the 2020 class.

The other side of the line got a much-needed boost, as well with Coffey’s commitment. Coffey, a 6-foot-7, 275-pound tackle from Butte College in Paradise, California, visited Auburn over the summer and quickly tabbed the Tigers his team to beat. Nothing changed in that department, and last Saturday night, he committed to Auburn’s 2020 class.

Four of Auburn’s five current starters on the offensive line are seniors, so the Tigers will be hoping to reload effectively there, too.

Coffey is the third JUCO offensive lineman in the 2020 class for Auburn, joining Coffeyville, Kansas’s Jonathan Buskey and Valencia, California’s Killian Zierer.

The Tigers also own commitments from Phenix City’s Javion Cohen and Blackshear, Georgia’s Avery Jernigan.

Auburn is now up to 20 commitments in its 2020 class, which ranks eighth in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite. Early Signing Day for football is set for Dec. 18.

5 POINTS » From 8

were made with this against Ole Miss, when Schwartz caught a career-high nine balls.

The Tigers must also execute plays more than they have been. They have to find rhythm and sustain it. When they average three quarters of 60-plus rushing yards, 50-plus passing yards and 50% or higher completion percentage, a four-quarter effort in all those categories could mean double-digit wins by season’s end.

Head coach Gus Malzahn gave perhaps the best answer after the win against Ole Miss, a game in which 507 total yards of offense translated to only 20 points.

“Well we won. I think that’s kind of how you assess it,” he said. “We won the game, proud of the fact we won the game, but you know, we gotta clean some things up, but the fact that you put up 500 yards against a good defense,

PAGE 9 especially a good run defense, you know, that’s good. So we just gotta finish some things and put some points on the board.”

The question on everyone’s mind all season has not been, “Can the Tigers’ offense get the job done?” Fans only need only look back as recently as 2017 to remember that Auburn has been here before, and it came out the victors against both rivals.

They could also look back to 2013 for the November weekends that brought fans the Miracle in Jordan-Hare and the Kick Six. Or back to 2010 to remember that the Tigers went into Tuscaloosa, trailed by 21 at the half, and stormed back to win the game because they refused to give up.

The key to November wins will be the defense holding UGA and ‘Bama down and the offense taking advantage of all the opportunities it’s given.

But increasing efficiency and production in the aforementioned five categories wouldn’t hurt, either.

JOSHUA FISHER / PHOTOGRAPHER

Anthony Schwartz (5) celebrates following a touchdown during Auburn vs. Florida, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in Gainesville, Fla.

S. ALABAMA » From 8

4-of-5 from deep.

“Jamal Johnson, this was his best game and we needed every one of those three balls that he knocked down,” Pearl said.

“We don’t win the game without them.”

Not only did Johnson come off the bench and have an impactful role but Anfernee McLemore had 14 points off the bench along with four rebounds.

The Tigers saw Allen Flanigan play what Pearl described as his best game.

Freshman center Babatunde Akingbola came off the bench and got two key blocks down the stretch when Austin Wiley and McLemore were dealing with foul trouble.

Okoro was also joined by fellow starter Samir Doughty in double-digit scoring, as Doughty put up a double-double with 10 points and rebounds.

Wiley was seemingly a non-factor in the game, fouling out after just two

points and a rebound.

“They peck away at him, his fouls, offensive fouls … don’t get me started,” Pearl said after the game.

Auburn will next take on Cal State Northridge on Friday at 6 p.m. CST at home in Auburn Arena. The South Alabama game was considered one of the toughest of Auburn’s nonconference slate.

“We’ve got to get a lot better,” Pearl said. “I’ve got to take this group into the SEC.”

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Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl argues a call during Auburn basketball at South Alabama on Nov. 12, 2019, in Mobile, Ala.

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LIFESTYLE

ENTERTAINMENT

EMMA MEEKS / PHOTOGRAPHER

Sneak and Dawdle speakeasy located in downtown Opelika, Ala.

Speakeasy creates alternative nightlife option

By NATALIE BECKERINK Lifestyle Editor

On a crossroads in downtown Opelika, there is a small wooden alleyway that leads to the side door of Sneak & Dawdle, the only speakeasy in town.

“This is the entrance we use; the customers enter from the front,” said Matthew Casey, a bartender at the establishment.

The inside was dimly lit and had dark furniture. The two main bartenders who were in the establishment, Casey and Casper Obrzut, both came to Auburn to attend school for an engineering degree, but ended up dropping out of school.

“I stopped going to class, started working in a couple of different restaurants, then have been working for Matt and Jana, the owners, for four and a half years.”

Obrzut had a similar story.

“I ended up working for Matt and Jana when I was like 18 or 19 all the way to when I was

about 21, then I got offered another position because I became interested in bartending,” he said.

Sneak & Dawdle officially opened its doors on Dec. 31, 2018. It was a project that the owners, Matthew and Jana Poirier, had been passionate about for a while. The couple already owned The Hound and The Depot, but desired a quieter, more laid back bar type of scene, Casey said.

“Typically they are like a bar hidden inside another establishment,” he said. “We’re not quite that, but it’s more hidden, and we don’t really advertise on social media, stuff like that.

You just kind of have to look for it or know someone who knows where it is.”

In order to find the exact location of the establishment, customers may have to walk around the block a few times before finding the front door, which is large, wooden and features the symbol of Sneak & Dawdle.

There were several reasons that the owners chose to have the black bear represent their es-

tablishment, Obrzut said.

“The state animal of Alabama is a black bear because Alabama has a lot of swamp areas, and wherever there are swamps there are black bears,” Obrzut said. “A lot of people don’t know that because bears sneak and kind of dawdle, they stay hidden. That’s where it came from.”

Sneak & Dawdle is usually quieter than the bars of downtown Auburn and usually attracts an older crowd, Casey said.

“We’re definitely more of a late-night place,” Casey said. “We do have a few people like, say, Friday night, a few people came in for pre-dinner cocktails before they went to Cafe 132 or Ma Fia’s. We’ll usually have a little bit of a lull while everyone is at dinner, and then about 8:30 we’ll start getting busy from there until about 12:30-1:00.”

The inspiration for the look of the speakeasy came from a Netflix show set in Great Britain.

The owners took features from a bar on the set and used specific aspects when designing Sneak & Dawdle, Casey said.

“They took some inspiration from a show on Netflix about British gangsters,” he said.

“They have this bar in there that is similar to what we have here; we call it snug, which they did also. It’s a little private room with a private window for the bartender.”

For the bartenders, the most rewarding aspect about being a part of this establishment has been the people they have met, Obrzut said.

“That is a really rewarding feeling,” Obrzut said. “That’s what kind of gets me to come back and keep bartending and keep making people happy. Ultimately that makes me happy– that and creating the stuff and learning about all the liquors.”

Casey also said that he appreciated the freedom he and Obrzut had when bartending.

“We have a lot of creative freedom here,” Casey said. “It’s a very small operation, and we’re the only full-time employees. It’s a small group, pretty tight-knit, and we just kind of help each other out.”

INNOVATION

Auburn alumnus develops communication technology

By LYDIA MCMULLEN Lifestyle Writer

It may come as a surprise to Auburn locals that Rolls Royce, Nick Saban, Lady Gaga and other big-name companies and celebrities have common business in Auburn, Alabama. These entities, and others, purchase their communication technology from a provider that started on the sidelines of an Auburn football game and has since been a leader in intercom technology for 27 years.

CoachComm is an Auburn-based, wireless intercom solution provider that supplies 97% of Division 1A colleges, as well as thousands of high school and smaller college programs with professional wireless technologies. Its professional division, Pliant Technologies, is a worldwide provider of wireless communication technology for broadcast, live sound, theater and other applications.

“The technology manufactured by CoachComm is suited for dynamic communication scenarios,” said Tom Turkington, director of technology at CoachComm.

The products use full duplex technology that allows multiple people to speak at once. The technology is also designed to function effectively in difficult RF environments such as a noisy stadium or in national broadcasting.

“The kind of environment that these products are being used in takes a next-level technology to operate well,” said Turkington Turkington spearheaded the company’s expansion into the non-sport, internally professional division with clients such as NBC, Fox, ESPN, the Sydney Opera House, the Vatican and others.

The company started in 1989 when Peter

Amos, an Auburn alumnus with an accounting degree, was asked to operate the coaching headsets for Auburn football. Amos noticed a lack of efficiency with the team’s current headset communication, which created an atmosphere of frustration among the coaching staff.

The following football season, in 1990, Amos was asked to resume his work operating communication. Amos, a self proclaimed “tinkerer” agreed to the work if he would be supplied with a budget to improve the communication technology, which he was granted.

“The 1990 football season was like night and day– there were no problems,” Amos said.

Amos’ success was noticed by a large manufacturing company, who was in the middle of negotiating a deal with the NFL to sell their headsets.

“They found out what I had done at Auburn and how game changing it was,” Amos said. “They contracted with me, and my first sale ever as CoachComm was to the entire NFL through that company.”

Since the company’s launch in 1991, CoachComm has expanded from a one man operation to employing over 100 people such as human resource employees, new engineers, a marketing team, sales team, manufacturing team, support team and more. Two employees will celebrate their 20-year anniversary at the company this month.

The increase in staff and subsequent increase in engineering experience, business skills, ideas and perspectives has changed the game for CoachComm, Turkington said.

“We do have the ability now, with more people, to have more specialized folks that have skill sets in different areas,” he said. ”That really helps us develop products more efficiently.”

CONTRIBUTED BY COACHCOMM

CoachComm headquarters located in Auburn, Ala.

CoachComm is distinct in their business model as they employ a cradle-to-grave process, Amos said.

CoachComm’s products start in-house with a technical idea. Next, an engineering team and manufacturing team develop the idea for the marketing department to market the product to customers. Finally, a sales team sells the finished product.

“Everything is designed and built here in Auburn,” Turkington said.

CoachComm’s company motto is, “For our customers.” Turkington said this phrase can be seen posted around the building and helps the employees gauge from moment to moment

if what they are doing will ultimately benefit their customers.

The company will continue to develop new products and dig deeper into their current markets, Amos said.

“We have to keep chasing technology,” he said. “The technology business can’t sit still, we have to keep developing new things.”

Turkington is expectant for the future of CoachComm, especially its Pliant Technologies branch.

“Coachcomm is well positioned to continue to grow and expand into different segments in a worldwide market that is very open to our technology,” Turkington said.

ORGANIZATION

Auburn University Film Club hosts weekly movie night for students

By LANEY MAYFIELD Lifestyle Writer

The rising price of movie tickets has led the Auburn University Film Club to establish a weekly event where students can enjoy blockbuster films in Tichenor Hall, free of charge.

Hunter Hinote, junior in business management and president of the Auburn Film Club, said he noticed the need for film showings on campus. The decision for the film

club to bring back the tradition of free movie nights was inspired by his desire for the subject, Hinote said.

“I continue to run it because I am passionate about movies and I wanted to provide a platform for other students that share my passion.” Hinote said.

The organization provides a multitude of genres when choosing the films they show, including horror, comedy and action. Hinote encourages students to bring their

own films or collaborate on deciding which upcoming film the club should display in the future, just to ensure satisfaction to Auburn students.

“The reaction I am hoping to get is that students can say that they had a good time, enjoyed the movie, the group and just hanging out,” Hinote said. “Since Film Club has expanded, our members’ tastes have also expanded. We have also started letting members bring more of their own movie selections, so our

showings have increased in variety.

We don’t expect people to know a lot about the films; we just enjoy having new people there. I would say that Film Club is a great way to take a break from studying or classwork and enjoy a good movie and relax.”

Personally, some of his favorite movies are more of the older, classic films, Hinote said.

“We tried to go back in time and watch some of the most formative films ever produced by some of the

titans such as Hitchcock and Chaplain,” he said. “We then looked at how big directors today were influenced by these old directors.”

The 2003 film drama/romance, “The Room,” will be the next feature–film screening available for students–it’s a cult classic starring award–winning actor and director Tommy Wiseau, Hinote said.

“I personally enjoy movies that exhibit high levels of storytelling and technical skill, that will indeed keep you on your toes,” Hinote said.

The Auburn Plainsman

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2019 ALUMNI

PAGE 12

WELLNESS

Auburn grad to perform during halftime show

By NATALIE BECKERINK Lifestyle Editor

Auburn alumna, Harper Grae, will be joining the Auburn University Marching Band during the halftime show at the Auburn vs. Georgia game on November 16.

The joint performance has been titled “Woodstock,” which recognizes the 50th aniversary of the historic music festival. The song selection that will be played by the band will come from artists who sang at the original Woodstock event, which includes Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Jefferson Airplane.

Grae graduated from Auburn in 2012 with a degree in musical theatre and religious studies.

After she left Auburn, she went to Los Angeles for a few years where she received a role on “The Glee Project 2.” She then moved to Nashville and still lives there to this day where she is surrounded by a music community that is very supportive, Grae said.

“My family has stuck along right beside me through every dream, setback, success, cry, laugh—you name it,” said Grae in a press release to Auburn. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”

During her time in LA, Grae changed her name from Shanna Henderson to what it is today. Her first name, Harper, was her grandparents last name, and her new last name is an acronym that stands for “God redeems all equally.” She decided to change to Harper Grae after working in LA and discovering how God’s love is available to each and every person, she said.

After moving to Nashville, Grae had the opportunity to work with Bobby Bones, who greatly impacted her career, she said.

“The biggest impact was experiencing a guy in the industry keeping his word,” Grae said.

“The music industry is fickle, but Bobby wasn’t.

He is who he is and that impacted me far beyond only being an artist. Be a good person … and people will be good to you.”

In addition to these accomplishments, Grae has also performed at Country Music Awards Fest, has been named one of the new artists to watch by the Rolling Stones and has been added to CMT’s Artist Discovery Program.

Grae mentioned that her favorite Auburn memory was the Kick Six 2013 Iron Bowl game, but performing with AUMB has been a dream of hers and could possibly surpass this former event.

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Nursing students walk dogs to increase physical wellbeing.

Walking dogs good for health

By NATALIE BECKERINK Lifestyle Editor

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Harper Grae pursues music career after graduating from Auburn in 2012.

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Auburn University researchers recently conducted a study which focused on the impact walking dogs had on nursing students.

Morgan Yordy, an assistant professor in the School of Nursing, and Emily Graff, an assistant professor in the Department of Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, discovered that walking dogs assisted in helping nursing students live a healthier life.

According to the Center for Disease Control, over 50% of nurses are classified as either overweight or obese, and only 20% are meeting the recommended

physical activity guidelines.

Yordy and Graff said that the current nursing curriculum may add to the risk of nurses living an unhealthy lifestyle.

“There is a critical need to carefully evaluate and develop new means to increase and sustain lifestyle changes that promote adequate physical activity for nursing students in hopes that these lifestyle changes will continue after graduation,” they wrote.

According to Yordy and Graff, there are multiple studies that support the idea of daily physical activity in order to help prevent diseases such as fatty-liver disease, renal disease and Alzheimer’s.

In addition to dog owners being more physically ac-

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tive, benefitting both the animal and the owner, using animals as a means of emotional support on campus also helps with the wellbeing of the nursing students.

“Faculty could influence health promotion by developing evidence-based health initiatives such as dog walking programs that are sustainable and attainable within the School of Nursing,” Yordy said. “This includes incorporating student dog walking initiatives with animal-assisted therapy programs.”

Yordy and Graff stated that further research will need to be implemented in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the activity, and hope to continue improving and developing the idea.

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

prior to publication.

FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 12, 2019

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