sprINGHILLIAN tHe
September 10, 2009 Volume 89, Number 1 Mobile’s 1st Collegiate Newspaper
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
Swine Flu Growing Concern
arOund CaMpuS
Faculty returned to the Hill to find administrators worried about the N1H1 virus, but is prepared Spring Hill in case of a breakout?
Greek Life looks at welcoming a new fraternity to campus. pg. 4.
PAIGE MALONE News Editor
Badger Expo is the most successful since event’s beginning. pg. 9 Lambda Chi Alpha hosts Watermelon Bash. pg. 11
OpiniOnS & eDItorIALs Read two students differing perspectives on health care in America. pg . 7 & 8 Jim Love is back with a story about being a Hokies fan among a sea of Crimson. pg 7. Internet turns 40 - what’s coming now . pg 6
life & CulTure
See how to live green on SHC’s campus. pg. 12 Spring Hill student serves in the Air Force this semester. pg. 9
sports
New cross-country coach joins Badgers. pg. 17
Men’s club volleyball grows in popularity. pg. 19
SETH LAUBINGER / SHC Photographer
A New Era: Richard P. Salmi, S.J. made the move to the South to become the 38th president of Spring Hill College. The SpringHillian sat down with him to see what ideas he has for the college. See Sit Down page 2.
New Policies With a New Year Many students, faculty and staff returning to Spring Hill are finding changes to policies in the classroom and around campus. PAIGE MALONE News Editor
With students back on campus and getting into the swing of things, there are a few new policies that may throw them for a loop. Dr. George Sims, the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Spring Hill College, sent out a memo to campus security on Thursday, Sept. 3, informing them of the new policies regarding locking buildings and the termination of student access lists. For some students on campus, this policy may affect them more than others. Students that spend a large amount of time in Moorer Hall, the Communication Arts building,
may have to change their habits in order to adjust to the new policy. The building will be closing at 11 p.m. on weekdays and will be closed Saturday and Sunday. Due to the nature of some students’ work and the environment needed to complete some tasks, there are a few students that will be permitted to be in the building after hours, and when these responsible parties are present, other students may work in the building. The Fine Arts building will close at 9 p.m. on Monday through Friday and will be closed on the weekends. Professor Thomas Loehr, chair of the communication See Administration page 2.
On June 11, the World Health Organization declared the N1H1 virus, or the swine flu, a global epidemic. Unlike those of the past, this virus was declared an epidemic not because of it severity, but due to its quick increasing presence among more than 70 countries. Federal officials believe that the flu will infect 30 to 50 percent of the American population during this flu season. With the possibility for decreased class attendance as well as ill faculty and administration, Spring Hill College formulated a plan of action so they would be well prepared for any troubles. Dr. George Sims, the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Spring Hill College, was worried about how this pandemic would affect the campus. “Both the centers for disease control and the World Health Organization were telling us that there was a possibility that we would have the waves of this flu and we might have
to close for a period of six to eight weeks, and I was worried at that point cause we would have to find a way to continue instruction while the college is closed” said Sims. It was later that Sims discovered the nature of the virus and its possible effects at Spring Hill. Sims said, “the really maddening thing about it is we’re told that you are contagious for 24 to 36 hours before you start showing symptoms.” This realization forced the administration to discuss its options. Sims told The SpringHillian that the college developed a pandemic flu plan over the summer. The Pandemic Response Committee, an ad-hoc group made up of faculty and administrators, met six times over the summer to develop a plan as to how to approach the possibility of a N1H1 break out. They developed a response plan that included many different scenarios and various ways to handle each of them in the most effective way possible. The fear of this growing epidemic can be seen See Administrators page 3.
KEITH NECAISE / SHC Photographer
On Aug. 21, Spring Hill College welcomed the second largest freshman class in the history of the college. The 362 new students combined with the all the returning students make the ungraduate program 1,311, the largest ever. The Hill is home to over 1,500 students including non-traditional and graduates.
Page 2 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
News
Paige Malone News Editor kpmalone@stumail.shc.edu
Administration makes changes based on growing concerns Continued from page 1.
KEITH NEICASE / SHC Photographer
President Salmi talks with students, faculty and staff at the annual welcome picnic.
A sit down interview with Fr. Salmi
This semester is beginning for new students and a new president. The SpringHillian got a chance to talk to Fr. Salmi during his busy days. ELIZABETH FARREN Editor-in-Chief
Last May, as students filled up their cars and storage units and began heading home, the Hill said good-bye to 288 graduates. But the biggest change came a few weeks later when Fr. Gregory F. Lucey, S.J. retired and began his year-long adventures away from the Hill. At the beginning of June, Spring Hill opened its arms and welcomed Fr. Richard P. Salmi, S.J. as the 38th president of the college. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Fr. Salmi joined the Society of Jesus in 1973. He worked most recently at Loyola University Chicago since 2002 as their Vice President of Student Affairs. When asked about how the college is doing in these tough economic times, Father Salmi talked about how Spring Hill College has some big challenges ahead, but with changes, the school will be able to grow and still keep its same love and charm. According to Fr. Salmi, the last academic year was very tough for the college, just as it was for many other colleges.
At the end of last school year, the Board of Trustees notified the faculty and staff that they would be taking a pay cut, but Fr. Salmi has already started thinking of ways to keep Spring Hill…well Spring Hill. For next year’s freshman class, Father Salmi hopes to increase the number of students by 100, for a total of around 462 new students. But he emphasizes how much he enjoys the character and personalities of Spring Hill and he doesn’t want that to change with the higher numbers. Many current students are worried about a housing shortage that could result from the increased numbers. Fr. Salmi assures The SpringHillian that Spring Hill has more than enough room to house everyone who wants to call the Hill their home. He asks that we all get creative and not only get more freshmen on the Hill, but find transfer, re-admission and continuing education students. He even suggests hybrid classes, which would allow people from the community to come and take classes, but only have to be on campus about once a month while doing the rest of their
work on-line. When asked if the campus center is on schedule, he assured The SpringHillian that it should be finished by mid-May, but whether it will be in use by graduation is a touch and go situation. However, it should be fully functional over the summer and ready for its inaugural year next August. Overall, Farther Salmi is very impressed by Spring Hill students. He’s been visiting with students in the pooleteria, as well meeting with Colby Melvin, Student Government Association president. He helped freshmen move-in on Aug. 21. He’s been seen cheering on the Badgers at soccer games. He’s decided to take a secondary route to get to know students – Facebook. In the coming weeks, Fr. Salmi will be creating a Facebook page just to get to know the students of the Hill and hear their concerns and questions. He is also very impressed, “taken really with the care of the faculty for the students and the college.” He is looking forward to a great new year and to getting to know more students so he can hear their concerns and questions about Spring Hill.
for the Fine Arts students. “What we don’t have [permission for] yet is weekends, which I know that affects fine arts who are used to using their studios on the weekends and they can’t do it anywhere else” he said. Because of this Loehr says this new policy may be tweaked as they work out the kinks. Dr. Sims says he plans to address this problem by installing some sort of a combination, push-button locking device to allow students enrolled in studio courses access when the building is locked. Although the chemistry building does not close until 11 pm, the labs in the building will be locked after the conclusion of classes. Sims says that the lab assistants will be the only ones with access to these areas. These new policies were established due to the safety hazards that existed with the buildings being left open. James Crosby, Director of Public Safety
and Security, says one of his main concerns was that in the event an incident would occur, such as a fire, no one would be sure who was in the building at the time. Crosby, who sits over the Spring Hill Office of Environmental Protection, said, “In addition to safety there are environmental concerns.” He is referring to the disposal of hazardous chemicals in the chemistry and photography labs, which previously had problems. Another new policy on campus is the use of hand held and personal electronic devices during class. Although cell phone use has always been discouraged in the classroom, it was up to the instructor to decide how to handle the situation. Upon instructors’ recommendations, Spring Hill added a cell phone policy to the handbook allowing teachers to confiscate the device if a student uses it during class. Sims explains that it is up to the teacher to state in their syllabus how far the policy is taken.
Building Closing Times: Deignan Hall
11:00 p.m.- Weekdays 8:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.-Sat 1:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.-Sun
Fine Arts Building
9:00 p.m.
Lucy Administration Building 9:45 p.m. or after last class Moorer Hall
11:00 p.m.
Quinlan Hall
9:45 p.m. or after last class
Yancey Hall
9:00 p.m. or after last class
Yenni Hall
9:45 p.m. or after last class
News
Page 3 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
Day & Date
Coming up this month on campus... Time
Location
9:00 p.m.
St. Joseph
Campus Ministry
Org. Advisor Orientation Lunch and Training
12:15 p.m.
Gautrelet Room
Office of Student Activities
Greek Pig Roast Community Mass Student Mass
5:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. 9 p.m.
Rydex Commons St. Joseph St. Joseph
jcaire@shc.edu Campus Ministry Campus Ministry
Meditation Group
5:30 p.m.
On the Green in Front of AB
Heather Salazar, hsalazar@shc.edu
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Cloister Social
9:00 p.m.
Cloister
S.G.A. / CPB
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Good Questions
12:15 p.m.
To be determined
Campus Ministry
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Praise and Worship
9:00 p.m.
St. Joseph
Campus Ministry
Thursday, September 10, 2009 Friday, September 11, 2009 Saturday, Septmeber 12, 2009 Monday, September 14,2009
Event
7:30 a.m.
Org. Advisor Orientation Breakfast and Training Praise and Worship
Contact Person
Office of Student Activities
Special Notices: •
Campus Ministry will be collecting toiletry items in Campus Ministry room 108 for McKenmie Place through September 14
•
September 8 through 11 Campus Ministry will be doing a collection called “Buck ($) up for the Homeless” for 15 Place homeless shelter. Donations will be collected outside of the cafeteria.
•
Prints from last semesters print class are now on exhibit in the Bedsole Gallery located in the Fine Arts Building.
•
Life South Blood Drive will be on campus September 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the New Hall parking lot. Registration will be in the New Hall parking lot.
•
The Green 10 art exhibit will continue in the Eichold Gallery until September 25.
Administrators prepare for a string of N1H1 virus Continued from page 1.
throughout the Spring Hill campus. Rumors abound and people wonder, “What would happen if a student got the flu?” The Pandemic Response Committee has this question answered. According to the Spring Hill College Pandemic Influenza Plan, if a student develops this virus they will be subject to isolation and treatment. The plan goes into further detail based on the severity of the illness. If the virus is severe enough, the student may be isolated either at the student’s home or in a health care facility. Due to the contagious nature of the virus, isolation is the best response.
The Pandemic Response Committee also created a plan in the event that a faculty member falls ill. Sims said that this business continuity plan has made sure that there are people trained to step in and complete the tasks of any absent party. In the event an instructor must miss class, the Pandemic Response Committee has implemented an instructor continuity plan. With this plan, each instructor has been asked to develop electronic substitutes for class. James Crosby, director of public safety and security, also sits on the Pandemic Response Committee and says that the fear of increased instruc-
tor absences has forced the information technology services staff to use foresight and to expand their offered resources. “Our IT department is working with Dr. Sims and with the faculty in terms of getting instruction online, so in the event we had to suspend class attendance there would be ways you could do your work” Cosby explained. Resources, like Moodle, will be used to continue class when a student or faculty member is forced to miss classes. Crosby says that Nurse Elizabeth Williams, manager of health services, and the wellness center have been developing ways to get information out to students and stocking up on
needed supplies. They are in the process of creating a toll free and local number, which students can call to get more information and updates on the virus. For more information you can access the Pandemic Influenza Plan
through the common drive. For any concerns contact Ms. Betsy Williams at the Wellness Center. 1/ 2 wi Off th D th epo is Ad sit
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Page 4 The Springhillian September 10, 2009
Greek Life welcomes fraternity expansion to campus Three fraternities visit Spring Hill in hopes of becoming greek life’s newest addition. KENDRICK DUNKLIN Op/Ed Editor
site states: the fraternity aspires to “promote friendship, develop character, advance
Greek Life of Spring Hill College is looking to enhance its programs with the addition of a new fraternity to campus. Phi Kappa Psi, Delta Chi and Phi Kappa Tau held interests meeting on campus to get feedback from students. Phi Kappa Psi has been in existence since 1852, and Source: Phi Kappa Psi it has chapters with the University of Alabama justice and assist in the and Auburn University. It acquisition of a sound was foundeducation” through its ed on the members. campus of Phi Kappa Tau Jefferson was founded in 1906 College in in Ohio, but Phi Kappa PennsylvaTau is not unfamiliar to nia. Acthe Spring Hill College cording to community. According the fraterto the fraternity’s Web nity’s Web Source: Delta Chi site, Spring Hill Colsite, Phi lege once had an active Kappa Psi aims to “unite chapter, which was the principals and tradiestablished on campus tions of our past with the in 1967. The vision resources and creativity that the fraternity aims of our present to provide to uphold is “to an environment be recognized as a in which our leadership organimembers can zation that binds realize their men together and highest potenchallenges them tial.” to improve their Delta campuses and the Chi is an inworld.” ternational The college fraternity that plans to announce was founded soon any addiin 1890 on the Source: Phi Kappa Tau tional information campus of Corregarding the plan to nell University in New add new fraternities to York. The fraternity also campus. Spring Hill has chapters established College currently hosts on the campuses of the six national Greek orUniversity of Alabama ganizations for men and and Auburn University. women. The organization’s Web
DOUG BRUCE/ Photography Editor Ryan Meisemann, Marshall Girault, and Mark Milburn represent Lambda Chi Alpha at the third annual Badger Expo on Wednesday, Sept. 2 in the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation.
DOUG BRUCE/ Photography Editor
Rafael Flores and Ryan Notico representing the Epilon Alpha chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon at Badger Expo. TKE’s Spring Hill College Chapter was founded in May 2000.
Page 5 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
Opinions & Editorials
Kendrick Dunklin Opinions & Editorials Editor ktdunklin@stumail.shc.edu
Letter From the Editor: Driving While Forty Years Later, Now What? Robinson explores the advancement and Under the Influence of Text Messaging Ashley sensation of the Internet on its 40th birthday.
Text messaging while driving has been linked to reckless driving time after time. The Law has become of aware of the bad habit and is cracking down. ELIZABETH FARREN
eafarren@stumail.shc.edu Editor-in-Chief
Ask yourself how many text messages do you get a day. Now, of those you receive, how many do you answer while driving? Have you ever thought of the dangers of even a quick “lol?” Last week, the Governors Highway Safety Association asked for a new policy to be implemented nationwide that would ban text messaging while driving. There are many states that have already started the process: Utah past a law this past May. It makes text messaging while driving punishable to the level of a drunk driver, which is up to 15 years in prison. This law came into effect because Reggie Shaw killed two scientists, this past spring, on a small Utah highway on the way to work just after he sent a text to his girlfriend. Despite Utah’s law sounding tough, it is completely justified. Imagine a driver trying to make it home fatigued after a week’s worth of finals and only hours of sleep the night before. They start sending text messages notifying their friends that they are within city limits of being home. The car starts to swerve, but fortunately the other vehicles on the road notice the issue and honk at the driver to prevent an accident. Sadly not
The SpringHillian Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
E-mail: hillian@stumail.shc.edu
everyone is as lucky. So at this point, you’ve said to yourself, but I wouldn’t text if it was that much of a danger. Except, old habits die-hard. So if you text while you are on the road, what’s going to stop you from doing it late one night after hours of driving? Is text messaging your friend about a funny story immediately after you hear it, or about a cute guy you saw at the gas station really worth the risk of an accident? According to the New York Times, an individual who is text messaging while driving is as dangerous as a driver with .08 alcohol level, which is considered a drunk driver. If that statistic isn’t frightening enough, someone text messaging can spend as much as 100 yards not paying any attention to the road, that’s almost as long as a football field. It is this fact that has Spring Hill College junior Chelsey Collins so passionate about the issue: “There is no way you can focus on driving when your focus is completely on the screen of your phone.” Some states that have laws against text messaging only punish with a fine. One such example is California, where the fee is $20, which is way too small of a fee considering there is an increasing number of states finding text messaging while driving to be punishable to much higher extents. Ask yourself – how many $20 tickets would you have to get before you started Phone: (251) 380-3850 or 380-3840 Fax: (251) 460-2185
caring? Would it take an accident to make you realize the ramifications? According to the Governors Highway Safety Association Web site, there are six states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands that do not allow any form of handheld cellular device to be in use by the driver. Many other states have policies against novice drivers or certain activities on cell phones. Louisiana has banned text messaging for all drivers; Alabama, on the other hand, has no ban in place. The problem has even grown past the United States and has now infiltrated parts of Europe as well. The country of Gwent, which is found southeast of Wales, has put together a public service announcement to be shown in schools emphasizing the dangers of using your cell phone while driving. The original video was considered very bland, according to a report on the New York Times Web site. Yet, when the Gwent police department asked young drivers what concerned them most, they replied cell phones, specifically text messaging. The new video shows a young girl driving and text messaging as she swerves into oncoming traffic, resulting in her and two of her friends being in a series of accidents. Just as she catches the eye of her friend in the passenger seat, she feels the impact of another car. The impact kills her friends. Was it worth it? Photographer Doug Bruce dmbruce@stumail.shc.edu
ASHLEY ROBINSON
acrobinson@stumail.shc.edu Editor Emeritus
reading loads of information on particular subjects. We’ve become advanced because of this engine and it continue to grow.
Last Wednesday, ironically enough, I was browsing the Internet when I came across the headline, “Internet turns 40.” Wow, this extreme complexity, known as the Internet, is somewhat still a very new entity. Look how far we have come in 40 years. I wonder what is next. Forty years ago, at the University of California in Los Angeles, two computers linked and exchanged data. However meaningless the data, this launched more than they had fathomed at that very moment. Eternity was born in the form of a bytes, bits and hyper links. Gadgets now crowd our store shelves like iPods, iPhones, Blackberrys, Apples, oranges and pears. Oh sorry, I got carried away. I felt like an episode of Dr. Seuss there for a minute talking about wingdings, snapplehoppers and danglehops. All of these advanced communication devices sprouted from that one incident 40 years ago. What has this, somewhat new, technological advancement done for us thus far? I guess optimists would argue that it has pushed a new standard upon us in which we are able to communicate across the world. Or they say it has opened up a portal of intelligence and continues to advance our species. Everyone can specialize in whatever field they desire by only clicking away and
On the other hand, how has it hindered us? One’s knowledge has now seemed to be everyone else’s knowledge. Anyone can post something on this web of links for another to absorb, and that can be somewhat scary. Bloggers stream our news, and facts are now somehow blurred with fiction. Newspapers are dying and the generation of hearsay is upon us. According to Dr. Gary Small, director of UCLA’s Memory and Aging Research Center at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, “digital natives, young people born into a world of laptops and cell phones, text messaging and twittering, spend an average of 8 1/2 hours each day exposed to digital technology. This exposure is rewiring their brain’s neural circuitry, heightening skills like multitasking, complex reasoning and decision-making,” Small said, “But there’s a down side: All that tech time diminishes ‘people’ skills, including important emotional aptitudes like empathy.” It’s interesting that our brains will adapt to this change, but also have a part of us be hindered by it.
Advertising Manager Adam Pfaff appfaff@stumail.shc.edu
Advisor Stuart Babington sbabington@shc.edu
Internet, blessing or curse, will continue to grow. I pray it never cripples us from books, newspapers, labs and good ole ping-pong. But who knows, it’s still too early to tell.
Page 6 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
Opinions & Editorials Understanding U.S health care reform
SEC football provides for quite an adventure
A Virginia Tech Hokie fan and an Auburn fan embark on an adventure to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on Saturday.
The health care reform issue has America on edge, and the issue has split the nation metaphorically down the middle. While I do not know the reasoning behind the anger and the backlash I have observed, I am one of many people that are concerned about how health care reform will affect America in the future. I know firsthand what it is like to be uninsured in America. I have walked this earth for the past couple of years without health insurance, and it has not been an easy feat. Every day I pray that I do not fall ill to the many viruses and diseases that affect Americans. I always take the necessary precautions to take care of myself to prevent from getting terribly ill. It has always been a thought in the back of my mind of the danger I am putting myself in by not having health insurance. If I get the slightest headache or the smallest cough, I run to the drugstore to medicate myself because I fear that it can be more serious than what it seems. I do not walk around in the danger zone because I want to play with death. Trust me, visiting an emergency room without a health insurance card is not the most joyous trip. Health insurance is not affordable, and it is difficult for me to find a full-time job with health insurance benefits considering
my class schedule and the troubling economy. I once had a job working as a night auditor in a hotel, which offered me the option of health insurance. Well, the hotel was bought out by another company, which procrastinated for a year to provide its employees with a health care option. So, I ran out of choices. While I am not complaining of my failure to have health insurance, I wonder about people that may be in a similar predicament as myself. It comforts me knowing that I will soon be a college graduate, but I also know that it may not be easy for me to find a job because of the state of the economy. I am not supportive or against health care reform because I want to understand the issues that affect both sides of the issue before I decide to pick a side. I just want to understand the issue. I am a concerned citizen that could be greatly affected by a health care reform. Before making a decision or forming an opinion. I want to be informed. I watch news stations to observe the town hall meetings, and many of the people that are angrily attacking each other seem to be misinformed. Both sides are throwing jabs at each other without having researched the issue. As Americans, we have the right to make informed decisions. Instead, we angrily and ignorantly attack each other without knowing the facts. We should all get informed about this issue because we have to make sure that America progressively moves forward.
As many of you know, college football started last weekend. The marquee match up of the week was dubbed as the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game between the #5 Alabama Crimson Tide and the #7 Virginia Tech Hokies at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. I was given two tickets by a friend, who happens to be a huge Alabama fan, because he could not attend the game. Initially, my brother, who is a Virginia Tech alum, was going to fly down for the game, but he could not attend. So, I went with Kyle Jones. For those of you who do not know Kyle, he is sometimes referred to as ‘Jonesy’, and he can frequently be found playing classic rock or country on a guitar somewhere around the apartments. The game was on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 8 p.m. EST, so we decided to leave Mobile around 11 a.m., and set a leisurely pace on the way there. We actually got on the road at 10:41 a.m., and sure enough Kyle had Hank Jr. playing by 10:50. We stopped in Greenville, Ala. to eat and get gas at The Smokehouse. If you have never been to The Smokehouse (Exit 128), I urge you to go the next time you head northward on I-65 towards Montgomery. The breakfast features massive biscuits and the barbecue is a real treat. After eating a sausage biscuit, Kyle got a Southern BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, Fried Green Tomato) to go; I had the barbecue. We got back on the road at 1:05 and the Southern BLT was gone by 1:11. We missed the first quarter of the game because we stopped at Victoryland in
Shorter, Ala. to bet on some dogs. Just kidding, but seriously, we were tempted to stop. In fact, the remainder of our trip was relatively smooth and was dominated by sports radio. To get into that football mind set, we listened to the near upset of Ohio State University by the Naval Academy and the first half of the Georgia/Oklahoma State game. We parked in a lot about half a mile from the dome at 5:15 and had time to kill since the gates were not open yet. By 5:16, we heard the first cries of “Roll Tide”, and at 5:20 we had to walk back to the car because we foolishly left the tickets in the glove box. Upon entering the Dome, I realized that the crowd was going to be large. I came to find out later that the crowd was the fourth largest in GA Dome history. The crowd was split relatively 50 percent for Virginia Tech, and in retrospect I would say 60 percent for Alabama. After forking over $25 for the obligatory T-shirt, we settled into our seats at 6:38, with 1.5 hours until kickoff. It became increasingly apparent, however, that I was the only Virginia Tech fan in our section. My cheers for the Hokies would be drowned out by the “Million Dollar Band” and those around me spelling out B-A-M-A. I had no reason to get fired up until a 98 yard kickoff return gave the Hokies a 7-6 lead in the middle of the 1st quarter. After that, everyone around me knew I was not pulling for their team. A back and forth first half ended in a 17-16 lead for Virginia Tech, and I felt that was fortunate because Alabama was dominating the total yardage game despite mediocre play from their quarterback, Greg McElroy. A scoreless third quarter passed quickly, but it was again apparent that
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JAMES LOVE
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Alabama was having more success moving the ball, and McElroy was beginning to fire on all cylinders. At the 12 minute mark of the third quarter, Alabama’s Mark Ingram scored on a 6-yard run, and the Tide took a 24-17 lead. Shortly after with 11:07 on the clock, Virginia Tech fumbled the ensuing kickoff. Then, at 11:14, I made the quote that summed up the whole day and decade for Virginia Tech fans, “I’m tired of settling for the Orange Bowl by Labor Day weekend.” Another devastating early season loss was on the horizon, and another shot at the national title appeared to be dead in its tracks. The final score was 34-24, but Alabama had greater than a 3 to 1 edge in total yards. I knew it was going to be a long ride home. Actually, it was a very short ride home. We left Atlanta at 11:56 p.m. EST and were back on campus at 3:20 a.m. CST. The radio was again dominated by music because I had no desire to listen to sports radio. Of course, we played Sweet Home Alabama as we crossed the Chattahoochee at 1:05 a.m., and Free Bird got played three times because of its length, equating almost 15 minutes, which made the trip go faster. Kyle did go on a critical rant about modern country music to pass some time as he drove the final leg of the trip, Montgomery to Mobile. The result of the game was disheartening to me, but the trip was a blast. For all of the Alabama fans on campus: Congratulations on the big season opening win. If McElroy continues to play like he did towards the end of the game, the Tide will roll to another big season. For any other Virginia Tech fan, maybe you exist, on campus: I guess we’re just going to have to settle for the Orange Bowl. Contributing Copy Editor Heather Bozant hmbozant@stumail. shc.edu
Page 7 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
Opinions & Editorials
Keeping health care American
John Merrill tells why the current U.S. health care is just right, it’s American JOHN MERRILL
jamerrill@stumail.shc.edu Contributing Writer
So, I’ve got an idea: Let’s not worry about health care. I mean, we’re all healthy, we’re all insured, we’re all in college; everyone knows nothing can happen to us. So, let’s do nothing. It’s certainly easier that way. We’ll just keep ignoring cable news and CSPAN, laughing at the shouting matches of “Town Hall Meetings” and whenever someone even thinks about health care, we’ll think blissfully of our summer break, our upcoming date or, heck, if we can’t think of anything else, we can talk about class work. Sure, the White House is all in a tizzy because health care costs currently consume over 17% of our GDP, but it’s not that big of a deal. We don’t really need that money anyway. Congo has less than a fiftieth of our per-capita GDP, and look at how they are doing. It’s not like we’ve earned that money. And for that matter, it’s not our money. That $177 billion in insurance subsidies for the next ten years, that’s not ours; it’s the government’s. They are in no danger of going over-budget, everything they spend just gets added to that giant billboard in New York. And it’s not like the United States Government is suddenly going to run out of money; they literally own a mint! I know, I should be concerned, I should care. Really I should. But as a college student it’s just so hard to focus on the fate of medicine in this country when I’m staring off during class or playing Xbox. Does the government really expect me to get off Facebook and read
up on health care? Obama needs to understand that it’s hard for us upper-middle class college students to care about health care. It’s not like we have to pay for the insurance costs; our parents, schools and companies provide for that. Even though insurance costs have increased at three times inflation in the past decade, there’s nothing to really worry about. It doesn’t matter that increased insurance costs come right out of business earnings, depressing wages and decreasing spending power. Just because our economy is tanking doesn’t mean that we should suddenly begin reexamining where our money goes. If the Great Depression taught us anything, it’s that when the economy goes down we should be spending more, not less. Besides, If you don’t want to get coverage, you can just go uninsured. That way when you get hurt or sick, the hospital will pick up your bill. They have to cover you — Hippocratic oath and all that. And if you really can’t pay for it, don’t fret too much – just declare bankruptcy. It’s okay, everyone else is doing it too. In fact, when you’re standing in line at the court house for the government to wave its magic money wand and make all your debts disappear, take a good look around. According to the American Journal of Medicine, 62% of those people in line with you are there for the same reason. You could get their numbers and throw a bankruptcy party, celebrating the money that you just got from all those suckers on insurance. And, next time you’re out just remember that out of all the people you meet, 78% of them are insured, and that means that you got away with using over $1000 from each of them. Go you. This new bill in
congress, HR 3200; ignore it. It’s a bad idea anyway. Look at section 202(d) (2), outlining the definition of acceptable coverage, who really needs that? I mean we’ve been fine just accepting the terms that insurance companies have been giving us for decades. That sounds like it’s pretty dang acceptable to me. It’s actually kind of fun to play “who foots the bill” with the legal fine print in your health coverage. I love going to the pharmacy to find out that I don’t have prescription coverage for antibiotics, and having to drive fifty miles out of my way to find a doctor covered by my plan. Congress wants this whole health care reform thing to keep insurance companies from denying people coverage for preexisting conditions. That’s stupid. If you are already sick, how is the insurance company supposed to make money off of you? It’s not like people are born sick. And what about this “public option?” It’s supposed to inject more competition into the health care system but, really, insurance companies have enough competition as it is. Besides I would rather have a corporate bureaucrat trying to get more money out of me than a government official trying to help me – at least I know what the corporate one is really after. We should be proud of our health care system, it’s big, expensive, inefficient and woefully inadequate. In a word, it’s very American. We should be proud of it, just like we’re proud of our gaschugging SUVs, our deficit spending and our obesity. Public Health Care is far too European for my tastes, as is that whole “preventative care” kick Obama is on. I don’t want help losing weight, or managing my cholesterol; I want my triple bypass. I’m an American damnit!
“Coffee Talk” from Spring Hill College Where students can voice comments, concerns and suggestions about recent issues on campus. “Coffee Talk” is meant to be a forum for Spring Hill College, a “marketplace of ideas,” if you will. • We welcome your comments that are submitted face-to-face with a SpringHillian staff member. Come to our weekly meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays or you can set up an appointment through hillian@ stumail.shc.edu. • No anonymous submissions will be accepted, nor any which are vulgar, inappropriate or discriminatory. • Please keep your responses to a paragraph in length. • For the rest of the semester, we will provide nine topics that are “just like butta” and you can “talk amongst yourselves.” Examples: “Yesterday, I saw another raccoon come out of a garbage can. When they have become nuisances in the past, animal control has done a great job ‘eliminating’ them, but I am concerned for the raccoons’ safety, as I am an animal lover. I hope that they try simply capturing them and moving them to an off-campus location.” -Raccoon Lover, 2011 “Last week, I was driving along the Avenue of the Oaks and I noticed that there were roosters walking around the Biology and Chemistry building. How did they get there? Is there a Spring Hill College tradition that I should be made aware of?”
-Curious Freshman, 2013
“Last night, there was a huge black cat sitting on my car staring at me. It had huge green eyes, and it had the look of a small beast. I tried terribly to shoo the cat away from my car, but it continued to stare at me. I was scared out of my mind. I am a superstitious person, so will I fail my mid-term exam if I drive my car?”
-Superstitious Sophomore, 2012
NEXT WEEK’S TOPIC: U.S. Health Care ReformYour Thoughts?
Page 8 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
Life & Culture
Abby Cowart Life & Culture Editor alcowart@stumail.shc.edu
KEITH NECAISE/SHC Photographer
Fr. Salmi, S.J. shakes hands with Caroline Haas.
DOUG BRUCE/Photography Editor
Students gather around the various stations at the Badger Expo to learn about all of the organizations and different activities that are present on campus and in the community.
Badger Expo launches new semester The third annual Badger Expo proved to be a great success as it attracted students, faculty, staff and outside vendors from the greater Mobile area. ABBY COWART
Life & Culture Editor
The Office of Student Activities held the annual Badger Expo on Wednesday, Sept. 2 in the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Over 100 booths were present at the event, which encouraged involvement and participation among students on campus. Stations included student organizations, serviceoriented groups, non-profit organizations, local businesses and churches. According to Jennifer Stallings, the Director of Student Leadership and Involvement, some of the changes made to this year’s expo allowed for a more promotionalstyle environment. “With the help of corporate sponsors, we were able to offset the cost of the program. This allowed more opportunities for the students as we were able to offer free T-shirts and raffle prizes,” said Stallings.
Many of the organizations that are newer to campus relied on the Badger Expo to raise awareness about their group and upcoming activities. Seniors Andrew Bovine and Jeff Jules from the men’s volleyball club, an organization that launched last semester, emphasized how helpful the expo was in spreading the word about their club to students. “We were quite surprised that we had so many people interested in signing up,” said Jules. He also mentioned how there was a good mixture of students that were interested in playing, ranging from freshmen to seniors. Stallings was encouraged by the impact the expo had on the freshmen class. She said several students that missed the event have come by her office looking to pick up information about getting involved. The first Badger Expo was held in 2007, but both planning and funding were not near as involved as they are now.
Since its start three years ago, the Badger Expo has grown considerably and succeeded in being one of the best ways to receive information about what opportunities are available not only on campus, but also in the Spring Hill community. Stallings hopes next year’s Badger Expo gains even more exposure. “It is a really good way to get a lot of information in a short amount of time. It has become an effective tool for the students, and we hope to offer more vendors next year.”
DOUG BRUCE/Photography Editor
Rob Brooks and Camille Brennan help students get situated.
KEITH NECAISE/SHC Photographer
Fr. Salmi, S.J. helps freshmen move into Toolen Hall.
Domino’s Pizza, JPrint, New Horizons Credit Union, State Farm: Rebekah Brown and Tropical Smoothie Café were the official sponsors of the event. For students that are interested in forming a new group or organization on campus, emerging student organizations are always welcome. Contact the Office of Student Activities in Walsh Hall or call them at (251) 380-3027 for more information.
KEITH NECAISE/SHC Photographer
Fr. Salmi, S.J. shakes hands with Erena Connon at Convocation.
Page 9 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
Life & Culture Student deploys to Qatar for semester Helping Spring Hill live green Michael Ramsey joined the Air Force Reserves his sophomore year as a lifelong goal to serve.
Dr. Bordas, green ambassador, helps guide the Spring Hill community on living a green life.
DOUG BRUCE
Photography Editor
As students get ready for fall semester classes, Spring Hill College junior Michael Ramsey gathers his belongings into boxes, collects his combat gear and suits up in his Airman Battle Uniform. Senior Airman Ramsey has been actively working as an Electronic Warfare Technician as part of the 43rd Maintenance Squadron. He has been stationed at Kessler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss., close to his hometown of Bay St. Louis, Miss. and many of his friends at Spring Hill College. Last year, Ramsey completed all of his training and is now deploying to Qatar. On Thursday, Sept. 3, he was stationed at Al Udeid Air Base and will remain there for approximately four months. Qatar is a primary logistics point for the Air Force and other forces. His overall mission will be “to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Ramsey said. “The military is something I’ve [wanted to be a part
DR. LESLI BORDAS
lbordas@shc.edu Associate Professor Chemistry
DOUG BRUCE/Photography Editor
of] my whole life. It is no mistake this is something I would do eventually, I’m ready to go, do my job, and come back alive.” He said he will miss Spring Hill, and feels it is unfortunate that he will not be graduating with the class of 2010 as he originally intended due to semesters of training and deployment. Because of the nature of his position, Ramsey has
access to the internet and has been able to post an update on his Facebook account. Ramsey writes, “Here I am: the world’s sandbox. It is currently (over) 100 degrees.” He describes how everything is seemingly “bright white” and explains that most things he cannot write much for security reasons. He goes on to explain, “The food is pretty good. Oh and it’s hot, very hot.”
Source: Google Maps
Senior Airman Ramsey is stationed in Qatar (see above) as an Electronic Warfare Technician.
-An environmentalist? No, I don’t think anybody would describe me as that. -Someone who pets dolphins? Can’t say I’m that, either. -Maybe a tree hugger? No, there are too many people in the world needing a hug for me to waste one on a tree. So what am I? My undergraduate degree is in biology and not the anatomy/pre-med kind but the invertebrate, identifying flowering plants kind. So, I have always had a healthy dose of awe for nature. It did not take long in my research for me to come to the conclusion that nature was divinely complex. Like many others, I find that the peace and tranquility it provides soothes the soul. But my biography doesn’t stop here; I am also a Ph.D. synthetic organic chemist. Are you confused? Does this seem contradictory? A person who claims to be a naturalist and the person who synthesizes known organic pollutants are one and the same? I hope to spend the rest of the semester convincing you that chemists, and chemistry in particular, are not responsible for climate change, the endangerment of species, or for that matter, the enormous amount of unrecycled plastics that are accumulating all over the planet. So, who is responsible? We are. You are. Your roommate is, your sorority is, the people you love are, the people in campus ministry, Fr. Salmi, S.J. and everyone
in the Vatican. Is anyone exempt? No, not really. Are you feeling bad about yourself? Are you hiding your face yet? If you are, then you need to follow me in an exploration of the meaning of our Spring Hill College theme, “Renew the Face of the Earth.” This is not an invitation to hide your face in shame. It is an acknowledgment that the earth is our responsibility. It implies that the strength of the one can create a forward momentum that will move the all. Are you ready to be part of that momentum? Or do you wish to be dragged along? After many years in hiatus the environmental club has made a reappearance. With the support of the college and the club members (and hopefully you too), I have begun a Spring Hill green team initiative. By joining my Facebook group “Help Me Green SHC,” you will be able to keep abreast of the changes occurring college wide. A few of our projects and activities include: • Making a compost bin that can be used for vegetable and ground clippings. • Making an organic garden that all students are welcome to use and maintain. • Working with chemistry students to build a wind generator that will supply the garden with waste. • Participating in a coastal clean up on Sept. 19 lots of fun! • Making a solar panel that can be connected to your cell phone to recharge See Taking on page 10.
Page 10 The Springhillian September 10, 2009
life & CulTure Get To Know: Dr. George Sims, Provost Classic book inspires history teacher to make education better as a college administrator. ELIZABETH FARREN Editor-in-Chief
Over the past summer, The SpringHillian received several e-mails from alumni emphasizing that many students and friends of the college do not know what the Spring Hill College administrators do all day. What does their job entail? Have you ever questioned whom you should go to when upset with a grade or a policy? Well The SpringHillian has decided to work on answering this question. So, this semester’s “Get to Know” is going to focus on the behind-the-scenes administrators that help keep Spring Hill going. We decided to start with Dr. George Sims, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs since he works so closely with helping The SpringHillian understand new policies and the workings of the college. Many people may not know who Sims is, or even where he works, but that may be a good thing. As Sims puts it, he “knows two kinds of students, the student leaders and the troublemakers.” You may be asking yourself what he does since not that many students know him. Well, long story, short he is in
SUDOKU Fill in the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9. Answers for the puzzle will be in next week’s paper.
meetings 75 percent of his day, that’s seven and a half hours out of his ten-hour workday. As the Provost, he is the supervisor for academia and college’s support departments, including information technology services, the library, student academic services, campus ministry and graduate and continuing studies programs. He is also the go-to guy for the 85 full-time faculty and the 45 support staff. Sims works with each specific department and division to recruit and appoint new faculty, allocate and budget funds, as well as develop new programs. He also works closely with Joe Deighton, Vice President for Student Affairs, on a peerto-peer level to help with hiring and budgeting for that department. In his free time, he meets with faculty committees, specifically with the standing committees; such as the Rank and Tenure committee and the Faculty Welfare committee. Sims has not always been interested in the administration side of education; in fact, he used to be a teacher. It was twenty-two years ago that he started looking at a different way of teaching students. As a history teacher, he asked his
Taking a green initiative
Continued from page 9.
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KEITH NECAISE/SHC Photographer
students to read a novel based on the story of the Scotosboro boys, which emphasized the strong racism of the American South. Upon walking into class, he noticed three boys sitting in the back making racial comments based on the characters. So, Sims asked himself what he could do to make education better when the best book he knew failed. And that’s when Sims became fascinated with making education better for students. As he puts it, “I just like knowing how things work.” He believes that a liberal arts community, in a setting such as Spring Hill College, is the best educational experience available. His ultimate goal is to make this environment available to anyone who has hopes and dreams, despite their socioeconomic status.
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your phone Collecting paper, treating it and reforming our own recycled paper to be used in a journal or a notebook. Community outreach projects, such as visiting local middle and high schools to share our” green” ideas. Showing campus members how to become environmental ambassadors. Making teams composed of four environmental ambassadors that will compete in a variety of challenges for great rewards.
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Participating in fundraisers that will educate the community at large. This list can and will grow as I get more feedback from you. Tell me what’s bothering you and what your ideas are. I’m looking for the energy that only you can supply, and I’m looking forward to the day that our solidified momentum rolls down the Hill and drags everything with it. If someone ever told you that one person can’t make a difference, well, I’ll show you someone that doesn’t understand Einstein’s theory of relativity. We can make a difference; in fact, we must. It’s all about mass, acceleration and momentum.
Sylvia Plath offers readers insight into the many harms of depression This American writer’s classic proves to educate readers through a semi-autobiographical narration. ANNA PLOVANICH alplovanich@stumail.shc.edu Contributing Writer
Perhaps a slightly morbid, yet relevant, book to start the year off with, I have chosen Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar as my first review of the semester. You may be familiar with Plath’s poetry, as it has been taught at Spring Hill College in several English courses. Sylvia Plath was born in 1932 to parents of Austrian and German dissent. She grew up in Massachusetts, and her father Otto, a source of inspiration for many of her poems, died when she was barely eight years old. In later life, she attended Smith College in Northampton, Mass., where she obtained an internship at Mademoiselle magazine. This disappointing experience triggered an intense depression, and Plath made an attempt at suicide soon after. After being given electroshock treatment, she
was released from a mental hospital and began studying at Newnham College in Cambridge, England, where she met fellow poet Ted Hughes. They married in 1956 and had two children, Frieda and Nicholas. Frieda was born in 1960 and Nicholas in 1962, the year in which the couple split. While living alone in London with her two children, Plath sadly committed suicide a year after the divorce by putting her head in an oven. Set in 1953, The Bell Jar is Sylvia Plath’s semi-autobiographical novel detailing Esther Greenwood’s descent into depression. Like Plath, Esther is a Massachusetts native and a college student working for a women’s magazine in New York. She has hopes of being admitted to a renowned writing course, but when she is rejected, she returns home put out, yet still determined to pen a novel. While at home under the close scrutiny of her mother, Esther’s mental state See Novel on page 11.
Page 11 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
Life & Culture
From bricks to billboards, Lambda Chi Alpha to hold philanthropy event The SHC chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha is holding its week long Watermelbut no Grammys this time on Bash philanthropy event to benefit the North American Food Drive. Rapper Jay-Z makes his return to the music world with his third album which features a different kind of sound than he normally offers. KENDRICK DUNKLIN Op-ed Editor
Rapper Jay-Z is returning to the rap game for a third time since his ‘retirement’ with the highly anticipated album, Blueprint 3. Jay-Z’s eleventh studio album stands out compared to his last two releases since his official retirement, 2006’s Kingdom Come and 2007’s American Gangster, because this could be the album that will ‘officially’ bring him out of retirement and place him back at the top of the charts. Blueprint 3 lacks the power of JayZ’s earlier albums, but the musical production and the collaborations should garner this album with much commercial success. The hit second single from Blueprint 3 , “Run This Town,” should have been the lead single instead of the lackluster “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”. The commanding beats behind “Run This Town” along with outstanding collaborative work from Rihanna and Kanye West make this a magical track. “Empire State of Mind” is the album’s harmonious and best track. Not only does the track boast classical Jay-Z lyricism, but the strong, elegant vocals from Alicia Keys help turn this track into a classic. The production behind “Real as it Gets” blends the sounds of Jay-Z’s tinged East Coast hip-hop flavor with the southern lyricism of rapper Young Jeezy. With this album, Jay-Z sticks to his guns by maintaining producers that have helped him gain commercial success in the past. The Timbaland produced track, “Off That” featuring Drake,
is certainly a track for the clubs. The “Venus vs. Mars” track sounds like Timbaland skillfully used beat boxing while Jay-Z freestyled about the relationship between women and men. On the Kanye West-produced track, “Already Home” featuring Kid Cudi, Jay-Z takes aim at rappers lacking originality over a music production that sounds like the Jay-Z from albums like Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life. There are tracks on the album that seem to lack substance. Tracks like “Reminder” and “Hate” sound lackluster, unfinished and frustrating. The track, “On the Next One” featuring Swizz Beatz, is by far the worst song on the album. This track needs more production work, and the track just sounds irritating. Blueprint 3 is most likely going to be a commercial success for Jay-Z, but it just does not live up to the hype. Blueprint 3 certainly does not give you the Jay-Z we know from albums like Reasonable Doubt and the original Blueprint. Yet, he does throw in a few great surprises with the collaborative and production work, which all comes together to showcase a matured Jay-Z who still possesses great lyricism. Jay-Z’s eleventh studio album, Blueprint 3, hits stores this Friday, Sept. 11.
ABBY COWART
Life & Culture Editor
The men of Lambda Chi Alpha are hosting their annual philanthropy event, Watermelon Bash, Saturday, Sept. 12, on Dorn Field. The event begins Saturday afternoon, and will feature several competitions including a greased watermelon relay, watermelon hockey, tug-of-war and a seed-spitting contest. Food and drinks will be served at the event for all participants. Each team is made up of eight members. Current teams competing are Delta Gamma, Delta Delta Delta, Phi Mu, the soccer team, the softball team and two teams of freshmen women. However, the event is still
open to any team of girls that would like to come and participate. All proceeds from the event will benefit Lambda Chi Alpha’s philanthropy, the North American Food Drive. According to the Lambda Chi Alpha Web site, “The North American Food Drive is a labor intensive, incredibly rewarding philanthropy, designed to raise food for local communities, while promoting Lambda Chi Alpha.” After the money is collected, it will be translated into pounds of food and given to the Bay Area Food Bank, which provides homeless shelters and food centers in the Gulf Coast regions of Alabama, Mississippi and
Florida.
According to Michael Lysek, Lambda Chi Alpha’s vice president of external affairs, “We are hoping to beat last year’s total and raise more than 68,000 pounds of food.” In 2008, Lambda Chi Alpha was awarded the outstanding service award for the North American Food Drive. Lambda Chi Alpha invites everyone to come and support the teams as they compete for a good cause. “It is always entertaining,” said Lysek. “It is funny to see how competitive the girls become at these contests.” Lambda Chi Alpha will also be hosting the annual poker tournament, directed to the men on campus, during the week.
Novel reaches out to college students
Continued from page 10.
begins to deteriorate. She sees a psychiatrist and is prescribed electroconvulsive therapy, which only worsens Esther’s depression as she later makes several attempts at ending her own life. A friend’s suicide ultimately provides Esther’s awakening and prompts her new appreciation of life. The end of the
novel seems to promise better things to come. While immersed in her depression, Esther describes it as being trapped underneath a bell jar, suffocating in her own misery. For any who have experienced depression, this is a decidedly accurate description. It is perhaps important to note that Esther and Sylvia’s depression were experienced during college. This
is true for a large group of people in reality. Sometimes the anxiety of a new life at college can bring on a depression that has been waiting below the surface. Thus, I urge all Spring Hill students to be aware of this fact and take care to monitor changes in behavior, especially freshmen. For some, The Bell Jar may be a helpful and insightful read.
Job Availability A unique learning experience is available in DAPHNE to students in psychology, special educations, speech therapy, occupational therapy or other related fields. Positions are available for providing in-home and community training and services to a male adolescent with autism. The program utilizes ABA based skill acquisition and behavior management strategies. The program is coordinated under the direction of a behavior analyst (BCBA). Afternoon/evening and weekend hours are available at $10.00/hour. Applicants will receive orientation and both general and specialized training in procedures and applications for the program. Interested individuals should contact Karen Rucker at 863-397-4809.
Source: Rolling Stones Web site
Page 12 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
Life & Culture
New Director of Alumni Residence Life to take a strict view and Parent Programs Residence Life takes steps toward a safe and productive campus by strictly Monde Donaldson returns to the Hill after a 10 year absence with high hopes for the future. PAIGE MALONE News Editor
On Sept. 8, Monde Donaldson returned to the Spring Hill College campus after a 10 year absence as the new director of alumni and parents programs. According to the college’s announcement in early September, Donaldson previously served at Spring Hill as Director of Public Relations and head of the Communications department from 1981 through 1992. She then accepted the role of Alumni Relations Director where she remained until 1999. Through her many different titles, Donaldson has managed to stay active in the Mobile community, specifically with the Mobile Rotary Club and the Association for Fundraising Professionals, where she was named fundraiser of the year in 2006. She has also worked closely with the Junior League of Mobile. In her time away from the hill, Donaldson has been working at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School as Director of Development. “I am delighted to be back at Spring Hill after [my] absence. It is invigorating to see all the improvements,” said Donaldson of her reunion with the college. The excitement Donaldson feels as she
enters her new role is evident in her many plans for the future. She says, “As alumni director I hope to get alumni more engaged with the school and to empower them to stay involved with SHC”. Specifically, Donaldson plans on visiting as many alumni as possible, and she will work on new programs with the National Alumni Board. Donaldson says she sees this new position as a fund raiser because she is “keeping old friends in touch with their alma mater and with each other” she says. With the high hopes Donaldson has for the Alumni and Parents programs, she is not wasting any time. Next week she heads off to St. Louis for an event, and then off to Chicago in early October. Donaldson is also working in Mobile on the Zoghby-Devaney Golf Tournament. Along with attending and planning many events, she echoes Fr. Salmis’s initiative to increase enrollment in the coming year. She says, “I also hope to work more closely with admissions to get alumni and parents involved in the recruitment process.” With Donaldsons passion for her new position and her love of the Spring Hill community, we can expect great things in the years to come. If you have any Comments or suggestions for the department she can be contacted at mdonaldson@shc.edu.
enforcing policies and not cutting any slack.
PAIGE MALONE News Editor Students may have noticed the increased presence of Residence Life staff members around the campus. The recent issues, along with those in past years, have forced the Residence Life staff to enforce policies more strictly. Talk of Spring Hill College’s crazy past parties circulate rapidly around the school. Yet with the strict policies that came into action last semester, we can see they are not going to return anytime soon. Residence Life coordinator Rob Brooks stated, “there’s no slack because we want to get away from the drinking policy and really establish this as an educational school and make that the concentration and get the students to make responsible mature decisions about drinking.” One of the initiatives Residence Life has taken is a new approach to warnings given to students. Brooks expressed that when he held meetings in residence halls to discuss policies, he gave them a verbal warning even before any infractions were committed. To those students that did not get this verbal warning, the Residence Life staff sent out an email to the same effect. He expressed the
need for fairway residents to take responsibility for their property. The student handbook makes reference to this issue naming the residents the responsible party in the event of any obstruction of property and also underage students with alcohol in the residence. Brooks gives the example of consistent infractions being made on a apartments balcony. in this case the residents will be held responsible. Brooks explains that they are not seeking to hinder the fun of students. The same rules that the staff has established are active outside of our campus and students need to be prepared. The majority of the documentations students have received have been alcohol related. The alcohol and drug-free policy in the student handbook states “Those students of legal drinking age may drink in the privacy of their own rooms, in the common spaces in their own apartments, in legally licensed facilities or during special events for which the college permission has been sought and obtained.” He explains that the Residence Life staff has had problems in the past, mainly with open containers and underage drinking, which is not in compliance with this policy.
Brooks explained that the only way to make a positive change in the attitudes of Spring Hill students is to enforce policies eliminating these negative behaviors.
The mission of Spring Hill College, as stated in the student handbook, says it’s compelling focus is that “The people of Spring Hill College, in community, work together to nurture learning for body, mind and spirit. We take the time and make the effort to teach and act with justice, with care and in the service of others.” In compliance with this mission, the Residence Life staff must make the changes necessary to further the goal of our community. Brooks said “Were constantly pushing the mission of the school, allowing students to constantly violate the policies does not go along with the mission statement” For more information on the policies that have been put into effect by the Residence Life staff to ensure a productive work environment on our campus you can consult the Alcohol and Drug-Free Policy in the student handbook or visit the Residence Life page on the Spring Hill College Website.
Page 13 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
Greenberry Taylor Opinions & Editorals Editor gbtaylor@stumail.shc.edu
Sports
Men’s Volleyball is firing on all cylinders Badgers Welcome New Last year the men’s club volleyball team was formed, but this year they are ready to make it known they are dominating the floor across the Gulf Coast. Cross-Country Coach GREENBERRY TAYLOR Sports Editor
The Badgers are pretty solid when it comes to their athletic program, having six men’s sports and seven womens’. It’s easy to see that the Hill has plenty of student-athletes. But amongst these studentathletes walking around campus, there may be a group of them you’re not as familiar with. For those who are new to the Hill, or to those who didn’t catch the memo previously, last year’s sophomores Matthew Jordan and Tom Wingbermuehle founded the Spring Hill College Men’s Volleyball Team. Through a process of providing proposals to the school and then editing what needed to be fixed, Jordan and Wingbermuehle drafted a constitution for the team. Jordan said that support he received from Dean Joe Deighton and Jennifer Stallings was incredible. However, not everyone was as firm of believers as Deighton and Stallings. “When we first proposed the team, some people didn’t think that anyone would be interested, let alone that we would be any good,” said Matt. After the constitution received an OK from the school Jordan said “the ball was rolling.” With the permission of the school granted, Wingbermuehle and Jordan held tryouts where about 16 people attended. After the selection of players, 12 to be specific, the team was formed and practices began. The men’s first game was last spring, just before spring break, against none other than the Lady Badgers Volleyball team. This
match-up was deemed “The Battle of the Sexes”, and was the first time in school history that opposite sexes have played against each another. The turnout for the game was said to be pretty impressive. The outcome of the game was also. The men were victorious winning 3-1. However, as excited as they were about their victory, they were quick to give credit of their success to the women. “The win was a product of the women’s team’s coaching because they came to our practices and helped us improve when we were just starting out,” said Jordan. Not only did the men’s team give credit to the women’s team and their players, but also to their coach Alica Reeves and manager Beth Cragen. Matthew said, “They are the reason why we were so successful last year, and I’m sure that will be the case for this upcoming season.” After returning from spring break the men traveled to play in their first National Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Tournament (NIVA) at Tulane University in New Orleans, La. The Badgers placed third among teams, including big name SEC schools like LSU. Placing third was not only a huge boost of confidence for their ability to compete, but it also caught the eye of the Southern Conference of the NIVA, who extended an invitation to the Badgers to join. “The only thing holding us back right now from joining is funding,” said Jordan, “but we will find a way.” Since this invitation, the Badgers have also been invited to four tournaments: three being in Texas and one at the University of Alabama. The season starts in late
October and runs into early April. Many more invites could come the Badgers way, especially with some wins from these tournaments. The team has now, a little more than, doubled in size since last year with the roster currently holding about 30 people, and try-outs for this year still haven’t been held. Even though this is only a club sport, its members take it just as serious as a varsity sport. “We have practices 34x a week, eat lunch together, travel and sometimes we stay after practice to improve our skills. It’s more than a pastime for us, it’s a sport we’re dedicated to,” Jordan said passionately when asked about being just a “club sport.” The passion that Jordan expresses about this sport is enough to show anyone why he is a founder of this team. As many questions that were asked about volleyball and being a founder, he always managed to make it clear that he was also a “member” of this team. “Not as a founder, but as a member of this team I can say that I have a blast playing with these guys and am lucky to be on a team with them.” From our short talk with Matthew, it’s clear to see that this is not merely a club but a team. The dedication, effort and time that each member unselfishly contributes are above and beyond the definition of a team. Jordan described it best when he said, “Even though you may not end up hitting the ball every play, everyone counts on each other in case anything goes wrong. Every play you need to be ready and in your spot so you don’t throw off your team. Essentially, it’s the ultimate team sport.” The Men’s Volleyball team will hit the floor in late October.
The Badgers placed fourth at the Troy University Meet, with Coach Williams making his debut. GREENBERRY TAYLOR
Sports Editor
With the leaves changing colors, the temperature dropping and the ground becoming a little cooler to the touch it is clear that fall is quickly approaching. Fall means sports fans everywhere are getting ready for season openers, and for Spring Hill’s cross-country team, excitement is at an all time high. The cross-country team had their first meet last Saturday as they traveled to Troy University in Troy, Ala. In the 5K event the men’s team placed fourth out of seven teams with a time total of 1:24:39 and the women’s team placed fifth out of seven in the 3200 Meter Run with a time total of 1:10:40 Not only was this the Badgers season opener, but also the first time newly appointed head coach, Joe Williams guided the Badger team. However, Williams is no stranger to the job of coaching. Coach Williams was an assistant track coach for the University of South Alabama in the 1986 school year and also for McGill-Toolen Catholic High from 2004 to 2008. At McGill, Williams was also the head coach for the junior varsity track team. He most recently held the position as Director of
Source: SHC Atletics
physical education at St. Luke’s Episcopal School in Mobile. While this is Williams first time being a head coach at the collegiate level, he remains cool as a fan. When The SpringHillian asked Williams how stepping into the role as head coach has been difficult he said, “For me it has been slowing down and pacing myself.” Williams went on to say, “ My job has been simplified since taking this new position due to the number of young people who have shown up and really want their cross-country program to excel.” The Badgers seem to be excited about Coach Williams coming on board, and he seems to be just as thrilled. He says, “Working with the student athletes and the athletic staff here at the Hill,” are what he is most excited about and of course coaching the cross-country team. The next meet for the Badgers is the Azalea City Classic Sept. 19 right down the road at the University of South Alabama.
Page 14 The Springhillian September 10, 2009
SpOrTS Lady Badgers take the court A new year brought a new coach for the Lady Badger volleyball, but they are as hopeful as ever.
The Badgers have stuggled so far, falling to 0-4, but seem to be staying sharp on defense, which should trail into their games this week. GREENBERRY TAYLOR Sports Editor
GREENBERRY TAYLOR Sports Editor
The Lady Badgers volleyball team hit the hardwood Labor Day weekend in a season opener at Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) on Friday. Spring Hill College went 3-0 against Southern Univeristy-New Orleans in the tournament. Junior Cassandra Marchand had eight kills and five digs and won the hitter of the week award, while Senior Melissa Williams had 12 digs and three service aces and won Libero of the week. Sophomore Sally Reese was awarded player of the week. The Badgers won the matches with scores of 25-14, 25-18 and 25-16. This game was the first of SUNO’s inaugural season. Badger fans are probably thinking that the Lady Badgers had the upper hand in this match up as the veteran program, but think again Badger fans. This season opener was the debut for the Badgers new head coach, Dr. Peggy Martin. Coach for the University of Central Missouri for 33 years before retiring, Dr. Martin came out of retirement this summer to take on the role as head coach for the Lady Badgers. While Coach Martin expressed her excitement about playing in a new conference, switching from NCAA Division II to the GCAC, she is also interested to see how the players adapt to her style of coaching over the season. As excited as Coach Martin seemed, she still admitted to some of the challenges that still lay be-
Badgers struggle to find their groove
Source: SHC Athletics
fore her as head coach. “I think one of our biggest challenges will be getting everyone on the same page. Having the transition of a new coach, along with new players, can be tough.” However, Martin went on to say that, “So, far the transition has been smooth.” Senior Melissa Williams, who was selected in 2008 as GCAC Libero of the Year after racking up 773 digs, seemed very optimistic about Martin. Martin says about the team: “We are very lucky to have someone of Coach Martin’s caliber be part of our program. She has a long history of winning and we are really excited to play under such a strong and experienced leader.” Coach Martin’s roots in winning are quite impressive. Martin currently holds the record for most wins in NCAA Division II history. The Badgers could use some of Martin’s experience in the winning column. Since 2006, the Badgers have had only one non-losing season. However, with Martin leading the program, maybe she can possibly stack up some W’s for the Badgers and even restore them to their glory days of 2004 when the team managed to go undefeated. The Lady Badgers will play again next Wednesday Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. when they host the Loyola University New Orleans.
The number 17 ranked Argonauts of the University of West Florida handed the Spring Hill College Badgers their fourth consecutive loss Tuesday, Sept. 8, defeating the Badgers 2-0. Freshman Tommy Campbell made his first career start as goalie for the Badgers, facing 12 shot attempts and making five saves. Campbell finished out the first half and was scored on once before being relieved by Junior Cory Bronenkamp in the second half. Bronenkamp made his first appearance since suffering a concussion in 2007. Bronenkamp had three saves against the 11 shot attempts he faced in the second half. While the mens team has had a rough start, losing all four of their games, the Badgers haven’t been playing cookie-cutter colleges. They have been on the field with some high ranked opponents. The Badgers lost their season opener on Aug. 30 on the road against number18 ranked Auburn UniversityMontgomery Senators 0-2. The Badgers played tough making nine saves, six in the first half and three in the second, all coming from goalie Dan Criscione. The Senators scored their only two goals in the first half, while the second proved to be a defensive battle between both teams during a downpour. Opportunities to score didn’t seem to be
there that night either as the Badgers only took two shots in this tough loss. The next game against Truett-McConnell University didn’t go well either for the Badgers as they fell to the Bear’s 0-1. The match-up of these two teams wasn’t pretty as Truett-McConnell had 16 fouls, including three yellow card warnings, and Spring Hill College with 13 fouls with one yellow card. The Badgers were able to get more shots off this time, four in each half. Once again, none fell for Spring Hill College. Dan Criscione performed well once more, accumulating six saves for the Badgers. Northwood College
Seahawks dealt the Badgers their largest deficit of the season, beating the Badgers 4-1 at home Sept. 6. The Seahawks scored two goals in the first half, but the Badgers answered back at the start of the second with an assist from Devon Arnold to Gable Fortune who scored. Fortune was the only Badger who found the scoreboard against the Seahawks. Dan Criscione had four saves for the evening, along with a little help from Tommy Campbell who had two of the Badgers six. Spring Hill Badgers will host the Mississippi College Choctaws on Monday at 4 p.m. on the Library Field.
Page 15 The Springhillian September 10, 2009
SpOrTS
Lady Badgers gain momentum behind new head coach and new year Coach Whelan experience his first win as Head Coach of the Badgers in the season opener. GREENBERRY TAYLOR Sport Editor
Daniel Whelan won his first game as the Lady Badgers head coach on Aug. 29 defeating The Brenau University Golden Tigers 2-1 in the season opener. The first goal came around 24 minutes into the game when Sara Uptmor assisted Laura Menke off of a corner kick. Brenau’s Tori Futrell answered back with 55:54 on the clock scoring on an off set piece. But junior Emma Pitchford held the Tigers at bay in her first career game with seven saves against the Tigers 12 attempted shots. The Badgers’ Katie Pendergast would end the Tigers hopes of winning by scoring the final goal off of a high rebound. The winning streak continued for the Lady Badgers as they shut-out the Truett-McConnell College Bears Sept. 4 with a score of 2-0. While the game ran late, due mostly to a lightning delay during halftime, the Lady Badgers were able to pull a win from the muddy field. The first score didn’t come until late in the game with 76:36 on the clock when Lorie Pendergast provided a crucial assist to Elaine Femmer. Femmer scored on a high kick that went over the goal keepers head and off of the cross pass. The next goal came about six minutes later from sophomore Catie Palmer after an intense face-off with the Bear’s keeper; Palmer scored her goal with quick reflexes off of a rebounding save from the goalie. Two days after beating the Bears, the Badgers had their winning streak snapped by the Seahawks of Northwood University. The
Source: SHC Athletics
DOUG BRUCE/ Photography Editor
Sophomore Catie Palmer pushes past a defender in last weekends Spring Hill Invitational Badgers lost in a blowout Pitchford. While the Badgers number two ranked Argonauts 0-4 at home. The Seahawks suffered their first loss of of the University of West pushed fast, scoring the first the season they managed to Florida with a final score of goal of the game when the keep their composure, only 0-6, bringing their record to Seahawks’ Katya Salguero committing four fouls while 2-2. The Lady Badgers played headed in a corner kick at the the Seahawks racked up 14. a tough game, trying to thwart two minute mark. Salguero The Badgers goalie Emma the Argonaut’s high-powered headed the Seahawks’ fast Pitchford managed five saves offense with major defensive hitting offense again with against the Seahawks’ 15 shot positions. Despite having all a second goal at the 32 attempts. 11 players on the back field minute mark after an intense The Lady Badgers for the majority of the first one-on-one with the Lady suffered a tough loss Tuesday half, the Argonauts were able Badger’s new goalie, Emma night as they fell to the to find two goals by halftime.
They plowed through the second half, scoring the third goal of the game nine minutes into the second half. Despite her valiant effort, Junior Emma Pitchford was only able to save three of the Argonauts’ 24 shot attempts. The Lady Badgers paid dearly for their defensive game, with Sara Uptmor, number 18, offering the only shot attempt of the game against the Argonauts. The Lady Badgers host Nova Southeastern University Sunday at noon on the Library Field.
Coming this Sunday, September 13:
Phar Fletcher
Doors open @ 5 pm Music starts @ 6 pm Bring your friends!
Every Wednesday:
Every Thursday:
live music starting @ 9! This week...
weekly wine tasting all you can eat sushi
9 Du Rhu Dr #234 Mobile
The Josh Ewing Trio
AL 36608-1259
(251) 341-3370
Page 16 The SpringHillian September 10, 2009
Sports
DOUG BRUCE / Photography Editor
Sarah Uptomor drives down field toward the goal during this weekend’s Spring Hill Invitational (above). DOUG BRUCE / Photography Editor Sophomore John Tanner works to make an assist during this weekend’s games. The opposing team overlooks to plan how to get past the Badgers. The men’s soccer team plays on the Hill on
Zechariah Townsend fights for the ball during a match this weekend (right).
DOUG BRUCE / Photography Editor
My job has been simplified since taking this new position due to the number of young people who have shown up and really want their cross-country program to excel
-Joe Williams, cross-country coach